Genetics, religion and identity: a study of bangladeshi muslims in britain
Research program: Australia in the Asia Pacific
This interdisciplinary study explores the role of Islam among Bangladeshi Muslims, one of the largest Muslim communities in Britain, in relation to genetic counselling. We seek to understand how Bangladeshi Muslims in the UK make sense of genetically-related disease. We ask questions such as: Are there specific ways of understanding these diseases among Bangladeshi Muslims in the UK? How (if at all) does information about possible genetic risk factors get transmitted from one generation to the next in Bangladeshi Muslim families? How do Bangladeshi Muslims make decisions about genetic testing, and how do they negotiate the possibly conflicting messages they may receive from health professionals and Islamic authorities? Does Islam play a role in accounting for genetic disorders and in helping families to care for affected members? Are there other cultural resources on which people draw in these situations? What specific problems are caused by genetically-related illness in a population where consanguineous and arranged marriages are still prevalent, and where the status of a family (and the marriageability of its members) may be adversely affected if others in the community learn of possible genetic problems? The study also investigates the differing roles played by different members of a joint or extended family in decision-making in relation to genetic diseases, in terms of their marital and generational status, and their gender.
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