Wandering Lonely in a Crowd: Reflections on the Muslim Condition in the West is a timely collection of essays, articles, lectures and short stories that have been written during the Bush years, a time of political uncertainty for British Muslims after 2001. They cover the themes of integration, community cohesion, terrorism, radicalisation, cultural difference, multiculturalism, identity politics and liberalism. Imtiaz responds to the predicament of being a Muslim in modern Britain. Beginning with a raw and unedited response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and ending with Obama's election, these pieces cover the numerous facets of the debate that surrounds British Muslims today. The book sets out a narrative for these years and a response that argues that British Muslims should move away from identity politics towards Islamic humanism.
S.M. Atif Imtiaz has worked in Equalities for the National Health Service, holds a doctorate in social psychology from the London School of Economics, and is a longstanding community activist.