Is Islamophobia Real? | Prof. Khaled A. Beydoun

At the #WhiteHouse reception to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on 2nd May, US #president  #joebiden  said that Muslims are globally being targeted with violence. This certainly seems to be the case, with news reports about state oppression, social ostracism, hate crimes and mob violence from around the world increasingly having one thing in common - the religious identity of the victims. Muslims seem to be the target of discriminatory policies ranging from racial profiling in the #US to #CAA in India to hijab bans in Europe. Furthermore Sri Lanka’s shutting down of Madrasas, China’s #Uighur concentration camps and Myanmar’s ethnic cleansing reinforce the view that this is a global phenomenon. And it is not limited to the state-backed policies alone. Vandalism and terror attacks on mosques seem to have become disturbingly frequent in places as far away as Australia, France and Canada. And as per most international watchdogs, both sides of the Atlantic are witnessing a surge in violent crimes against Muslims, especially women who wear clothing associated with their religion.

Is the global Muslim community under siege, as has been asserted by some observers? While the anecdotal evidence would clearly suggest so, does empirical data support it?

Explaining social and political trends playing in numerous nations across different continents simply by pointing towards Global #Islamophobia leaves many questions unanswered. What is causing the selective targeting of Muslims? Why is this happening now at the same time in so many places? What makes Muslims more vulnerable to such targeting than other minorities in many countries? What are the possible solutions?

In order to take on any challenge, it is crucial to first develop a proper understanding of it. This is our aim with the proposed knowledge session.

SPEAKER:
Prof. Khaled A. Beydoun
Professor Khaled A. Beydoun is a law professor, author and public intellectual. He serves as a law professor at Wayne State University, a Scholar-in-Residence at the Berkman Klein Center at Harvard University, and Associate Director of the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights in Detroit. Professor Beydoun is author of the critically acclaimed book American Islamophobia: Understanding the Roots and Rise of Fear, and co-editor of Islamophobia and the Law – published by University of Cambridge Press.

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