The Concept of Honour and Shame for South Asian British Muslim Men and Women

Abstract

This study aims to explore the concept of honour and shame in connection with South Asian British Muslim men and women. This is a complex phenomenon which affects people of diverse ethnic, racial, socio-cultural and religious heritage. It is imperative to note that honour killings, which are a worldwide issue, are at the extreme end of this spectrum. The police, human rights organisations and media reports indicate honour based crimes are now occurring within the United Kingdom. However, this study intends to investigate how this concept is developed and defined. It will explore the manifestation of beliefs, attitudes and influences which contribute to its formation. It does not aim to focus on the ensuing violent honour crimes or honour killings, which have been investigated by previous research studies.