The following abstract refers to the ethnographic study in which I completed for my PhD level research. For this study, I completed nine-months of fieldwork in two mosques in Birmingham, UK for nine-months to understand the daily lives and experiences of Muslim communities regarding threats to safety, namely Islamophobia. The methods which were used was – interviews, observation, and analysis of public accessible documents. As noted in existing literature, Muslim communities in Birmingham are vulnerable following the impact of Project Champion and the Trojan Horse Scandal. This study refers to accounts, experiences, and stories of Islamophobic abuse and how this impact them physically and spiritually. As a result, this study answers the question, how to Muslim communities in Birmingham navigate safety, when they considered a national threat? This exposes the myriad of risks to mosque safety – internal and external, which involved identifying current mosque (formal and informal) safety strategies. Moreover, this presentation will enhance the current literature landscape highlighting the ‘glocal’ nature of Islamophobia by drawing upon international factors, events, and policies which impact hate at the local level.

The present research aimed to shed light on the mechanisms and criminological processes underpinning community sports-based interventions to promote desistance from crime amongst children and young people (CYP) from ethnic minorities.

Data was gathered as part of the monitoring and evaluation of Levelling the Playing Field (LtPF; www.levellingtheplayingfield.org), a project working with Specialist Delivery Organisations (SDOs) using the power of sport and physical activity to engage and improve health and life outcomes for ethnically diverse CYP who are more likely to enter, or already be involved with, the CJS.

The theoretical framework was informed by accompanying concepts from criminological research and psychological theories of motivation. Specifically, the notion that self-determined behaviour is key to promoting desistance from crime.

Quantitative surveys were completed by CYP attending LtPF SDOs (n =194), with an age range of 8-21 years (M = 14.6) from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds. When coaches at LtPF SDOs were more empowering, the CYP reported greater perceived support for the basic psychological needs, and greater self-determined behaviour, alongside several other positive psycho-social outcomes including lower engagement in property crime, and greater identity exploration and reflection.

Qualitative data from CYP and other relevant stakeholders (n = 107) included 47 CYP with an age range of 12-22 years (M = 15.04), from diverse ethnic backgrounds. In line with the survey findings, qualitative insights highlighted the aptitude of LtPF SDOs to support the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and belonging through securing and promoting the ‘voice and choice of the child’, ‘supporting competence’ and via the provision of ‘safe places and safe faces’, respectively.
Overall, the research findings support positive links between participation in sport for CYP from ethnic minorities within the LtPF SDOs and important outcomes conducive to desistance from crime.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Asian communities globally, particularly the Chinese community, experienced intensified racism and xenophobia. While numerous studies have revealed significant behavioural and psychological shifts resulting from racial hate crimes, the impact of anti-Chinese hate crimes within the relatively novel context of the COVID-19 pandemic in British society has not been adequately discussed. Employing a qualitative research framework, this study aims to delve into the individual dimensions of the impact of such hate crimes on victims through semi-structured interviews with Chinese individuals in the UK. More specifically, this research focuses on the experiences and dynamic reactions of victims from the Chinese community after the COVID-19 pandemic, seeking to capture the complex influences and subtle nuances shaped by racial hate crimes at the individual level. The findings of this study aim to enhance societal understanding of the consequences of racial discrimination and potentially challenge the prospects for public policy reform, to more effectively protect minorities from the harm of hate crimes, thereby mitigating the impact of racial discrimination and fostering a more inclusive and diverse society.