Q&A

What is Islamophobia and how can it be defined?

What is Islamophobia and how can it be defined?

Diane Frost defines Islamophobia as anti-Muslim feeling and violence based on “race” or religion. Islamophobia may also target people who have Muslim names, or have a look that is associated with Muslims. According to Alan Johnson, Islamophobia sometimes can be nothing more than xenophobia or racism “wrapped in religious terms.”

What is the meaning of anti-Muslim?

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word means “Intense dislike or fear of Islam, esp. as a political force; hostility or prejudice towards Muslims”.

What are the factors that shape public opinion toward Muslims?

Differences in culture, religion, and political interests may shape one population’s opinion toward the other. Definitions of Islamophobia tend to attribute fear or hatred of Muslims to their politics or culture, and to Islam and the religiosity of Muslims.

How can psychologists help Muslim Americans struggling with Islamophobia?

Recognizing the threat that Islamophobia poses, psychologists are working to make sure Muslim Americans get the help they need. Unfortunately, Muslim Americans face several barriers to treatment, including stigma about mental health and mental health services in Muslim communities, says Phoenix-area practitioner Nafisa Sekandari, PsyD.

How do young people respond to online Islamophobia?

Online Islamophobia is prevalent on social media sites, too, although such contexts also provide a space to challenge such behaviour. The responses to these different forms of Islamophobia by those who experience it are also variable. Our research found that young people demonstrate resilience to so-called banter and name-calling.

Is there a toolkit to counter Islamophobia?

In the UK, record numbers of Islamophobic hate crimes were recorded in 2017, and across the continent there have been similar findings on the growth of explicit Islamophobia. In a new, pan-European research project, my colleagues and I set about to devise a toolkit that can be used to counter Islamophobia.