New book suggests Muslims leaving Islam in western societies face psychological trauma from social stigma rather than physical intimidation.

Researched and written by Dr Simon Cottee, The Apostates: When Muslims Leave Islam (C. Hurst & Co Publishers) is the first in-depth investigation into the social dynamics of Islamic apostasy in the West.

Based on life-history interviews with ex-Muslims from the UK and Canada, The Apostates explains the process by which Muslims leave Islam and become irreligious – and how this fateful transformation impacts on their lives.

Although apostasy in Islam is a controversial issue that features prominently in current debate over the place and nature of Islam in the West, Dr Cottee points out that it remains poorly understood. In large part this is because the debate has become politicised – with those on either side of the discussion invoking Islamic theology to make claims about the ‘true’ face of Islam.

The Apostates suggests that Islamic apostasy in the West is best understood not primarily as a legal or political problem, but as a moral issue within Muslim families and communities. Muslims leaving Islam risk being shunned or disowned by their loved ones, friends and the wider community of believers. Because of this and the isolation it causes, many ex-Muslims feel depressed and even suicidal.

Outside of Muslim-majority societies, ex-Muslims are not living in fear for their lives. But, Dr Cottee says, they must cope with ‘the stigma attached to leaving the faith from among their own families and the wider Muslim community’.

Dr Cottee is a Senior Lecture in Criminology at the University’s School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research.