Post-ethnic identity of Scottish Muslims as a factor of transformation of socio-cultural foundations of the political process in modern Scotland

The article considers the post-ethnic identity of Scottish Muslims in the context of understanding the problem of the influence of socio-cultural factors on socio-political processes in modern Scotland. The authors interpret the characteristics of the post-ethnic identity of Scottish Muslims in a political perspective, which allowed them to show reasonably the role of the socio-cultural factor in the analysis of socio-political processes in a specific spatial and temporal context. At the same time, the authors assume that the features, content and nature of the course of socio-political processes depend to a very significant extent on the value orientations and worldviews in the public consciousness, as well as on the specifics of the social environment. The authors note that in modern conditions, the socio-cultural component of the development of the Scottish state has become more complex, and Scotland today is increasingly acquiring the features of a border civilization. This is primarily due to the active influence of the Islamic factor in the social and political life of Scotland. The article proves that Scottish Muslims resort to multiple, hybrid identities in order to fit into different political and socio-cultural environments of Scottish society. The authors conclude that Muslims occupy an exceptionally favorable position in Scottish society, demonstrating a strong sense of belonging to Scotland. The display of national, ethnic and religious identities has given rise to Islamic tartanism - a way of life that can reconcile the Scottish socio-cultural paradigm with Islamic principles of life. Thus, the article proves the idea that in Scotland, pragmatic considerations have united two actors who were historically been socially, culturally and politically oppressed: on the one hand, they are Scots who have a sad experience of being oppressed by the English, and, on the other hand, Muslims who have traditionally felt humiliated by the imperialist west. This pragmatic trans-civilizational alliance led to the emergence of a post-ethnic identity among Scottish Muslims, which becomes one of the essential factors in the transformation of the socio-cultural foundations of the political process in modern Scotland.