This study examines the impact of racism and islamophobia on the psychological well-being of British Muslims, due to the embedded systemic discrimination which exists and the underestimation of its impact. Using data from 12 in-depth interviews, reflexive inductive thematic analysis was used to identify nine themes: (1) experiences of islamophobia and racism, (2) sartorial discrimination, (3) challenging discrimination, (4) impacts of islamophobia and racism, (5) negative coping mechanisms, (6) positive coping mechanisms, (7) the role of media and politics, (8) intergenerational perspectives, and (9) future directions. These themes linearly portray the experiences individuals have, the consequential impacts, and the methods used to cope, with the addition of investigating intergenerational perspectives. Results suggest that racism and islamophobia occur systemically and institutionally with the majority of occurrences in workplaces, and schools. The psychological impacts include mental health and emotional challenges further affecting identity development, and the numerous coping mechanisms, highlighting the individuality of the participants. Alongside other nuanced findings, the study found the intergenerational transmission of fear-based responses, and significant differences in the way the elder and younger generation responded to discrimination. The results were able to identify the role of intergenerational factors in navigating discriminatory experiences, thus contributing to a deeper understanding of diasporic identity and historical influence. The study’s implications include the need for cultural and faith training in therapeutic services, the critical examination of policies, stricter media regulation, the use of inclusive frameworks in psychological practise and research, and further exploration of intergenerational perspectives.
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