'Forced' conversions in the British Sikh diaspora

The concern over 'forced' conversions believed to be initiated by 'predatory' Muslim males, who 'groom' Sikh 'girls' into converting to Islam against their will, continues to resurface within the British public eye. This narrative first emerged in late 1980s and early 1990s and has been reproduced to establish the threat of the Muslim 'Other'. Such a discourse remains fixed within the Sikh social fabric as the tale continues to circulate within the collective despite a lack of evidence to support such claims. By examining the construction and manifestation of this narrative, this paper will explore the question of Islamophobia to explain why such a sensational account composed of 'villains and victims' or 'friends and enemies' has remained so prominent within the Sikh diasporic community. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.