Muslim mayors in British local governments on social integration

Abstract

This article analyzes the role of Muslim mayors in local government structures in the United Kingdom, taking into account the comparative context of New York as an example of a multi-ethnic metropolis. It outlines the theoretical foundations of political representation by Hannah Pitkin and the public sphere by Jürgen Habermas, enabling a distinction to be made between formal, descriptive, symbolic and substantive representation. The aim of the study is to assess whether the growing presence of Muslim minority representatives in local government institutions can be interpreted as a sign of deepening social integration or as a form of consolidation of immigrant groups. The research methods used include a comparative analysis of selected cases from the United Kingdom and New York, analysis of official documents and media content.