Though violent crimes against Muslims are understandably a key issue for Muslims and the anti-racist movement, it would be a mistake to think that Islamophobia is just a problem of racism by a small minority on the streets, or those on the fringes of politics. In fact it is deeply embedded in our politics and society, and a more serious problem than many writers have recognised. Moreover, while most accounts of Islamophobia suggest that anti-Muslim racism is simply a matter of prejudice, which may have social consequences, it needs to be understood as more than a problem of racist ideas.
Obviously these are a key part of Islamophobia but to be effective such ideas need to be practically developed—to be actively produced, spread and institutionalised in new policies and practices. Anti-Muslim racism is sustained by what we call the ‘five pillars’ of Islamophobia.
[TOP RATED COMMENT] Apparently, no one can talk realistically about Islam without being slurred as an Islamophobe. The reality is that Islam is a religion that endorses slavery, child marriage, arranged marriage, incestuous marital unions, divorce laws that are deeply destructive to women's rights, oppressive treatment of other religions and Arab supremacism.
Articles like this are not neutral. By protecting Islam from legitimate criticism, these authors are abetting a religious culture that violates human rights and actively subjugates unique cultures to an aggressive program of Arabization. [openDemocracy] Read more
