British converts to Islam: continuity, change, and religiosity in religious identity

Consideration of the growing phenomenon converts to Islam in Britain is emerging at moment when are entering popular imagination through dominant negative tropes threat and betrayal. In this context, religious aspect conversion feared, diminished, contained or ignored. Given emphasis on either change continuity, these identities conceptualised as hybrid multiple identities, with little understanding critical properties religiosity. Based narrative interviews British Islam, article argues that, rather than emphasising continuity change, it understandings dynamics between that important facets identity emerge central problematic conversion. The concept congruity offered reflect this. It further argued religiosity basis better captures converts’ identities. Georg Simmel’s notion employed make sense their Through notion, thought enables a be read transcends apparent contradiction change.