Discourses of Extremism and British Values: The Politics of the Trojan Horse

Abstract

This article critically examines the production of party-political discourses of “extremism” and “British values” in response to the so-called “Trojan Horse affair.” This “affair,” which first hit UK media headlines in 2014, relates to allegations of an organised Islamic plot aiming to infiltrate schools in Birmingham to radicalise schoolchildren. Though these allegations remain unproven, they have been used to justify changes in educational policies, practices and government guidance for schools, registered childcare providers, universities and colleges in the UK. This article explores the context that has shaped party-political discourses of “extremism” and “British values” employed in connection with the Trojan Horse affair. It investigates political agendas these discourses have been tied to and considers the impact they have had.