Download Decreasing Islamophobia in the Western World

Forum:
Human Rights Council
Issue:
Decreasing Islamophobia in the Western World
Chair:
Vanessa Meyer
Contact:
[email protected]
Description of Issue
Islamophobia, also called Muslimophobia, is an exaggerated fear, hatred, and hostility toward
Islam and Muslims that is perpetuated by negative stereotypes resulting in bias, discrimination,
and the marginalization and exclusion of Muslims from social, political, and civic life. Several
elements can affect the interactions and degree of respect between Muslim and Western
societies. Differences in culture, religion, and political interests may shape one population's
opinion toward the other. The promotion of Islamophobia creates both prejudice and
discrimination among the general population. Prejudice plays a key role in the existence and
proliferation of Islamophobia. Muslims have a hard time finding jobs or engaging in social
activities in the Western World.
In a 2011 meeting, the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, as well as the League of Arab
States, a key partner, identified Islamophobia as an important area of concern.
Growing migration from Islamic countries and terrorist attacks related to Islam leads to
emerging Islamophobia in Western Europe and North America. However most Western people,
mainly Christians, only know little about Muslim lifestyle. In Europe Islamophobia is worst.
Many Europeans consider Muslims as an intolerable community and connect it directly with
terrorism. Many Muslims emigrate to western countries in order to escape the discrimination
and hate they experience in their home countries. Islamophobia has a distinct effect on Muslim
minorities’ health and identification. Prior to 9/11, there was virtually nothing published that
related to the mental health of Muslims in the United States. Researchers are just beginning to
explore that Islamophobia can take on the mental and physical health for Muslim-Americans.
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Background Information
What is a phobia? A phobia is an exaggerated, inexplicable and illogical fear of a particular
object, class of objects, or situation. It may be hard for the afflicted to sufficiently determine
or communicate the source of this fear, but it exists.
What is Islam? Islam makes up 21% of the world religions and is therefore the second largest
religion in the world after Christianity. Today, Islam is one of the fastest growing religions and
is practiced by more than 1.2 billion Muslims across the world. Islam is a Abrahamic
monotheistic religion that believes that the purpose of life is to worship God and God is one
and incomparable. Muslims believe also that Islam is the original and universal version of faith.
A Muslim is someone who adopts the Islamic way of life by believing in the Oneness of God
and the prophet hood of Muhammad. In Islam women cover parts of their head or even their
entire bodies. Most Christians don´t understand why this is obligatory in this religion when
1http://www.gallup.com/poll/157082/islamophobia-understanding-anti-muslim-sentiment-west.aspx
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there is freedom for women and they see this as a restriction. The Islamic lifestyle is not quite
understood in the western world because it is so different.
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1 Data from 2010
Popular Views that cause Islamophobia
1. Islam is static, unresponsive to change
2. Islam is inferior in the Western world
3. Islam is barbaric, irrational, primitive, sexist
4. Islam is violent, aggressive, threatening
5. Islam supports terrorism
6. Islam puts religion in first place and doesn´t adjust to modern society (like the
Christian churches)
7. marriages below the age of 18
2https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/World-religions.PNG
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The Media
A 2012 study indicates that Muslims across different European countries, such as France,
Germany and the United Kingdom, experience the highest degree of Islamophobia in the media
though some media are working explicitly against Islamophobia. The global media is mostly
portraying Islam and Muslims in a negative way, showing Muslims generally as violent,
fanatical, bigoted, or even as extremists and terrorists. Most media only report on dramatic
occurrences and not the ordinary. Most media to only highlight crimes committed by Muslims
worsening Islamophobia. Since media coverage of Muslims and Islam is likely to shape the
opinions of those who have limited or no contact with the religion and its people, Islamophobia
grows and many people too see every Muslim as a terrorist.
History
The Turkish Empire, also called Ottoman Empire was an empire founded at the end of the
thirteenth century in northwestern Anatolia lead by Osman. It transformed into a
transcontinental empire after 1354. With Constantinople as its capital and control of lands
around the Mediterranean basin, the Ottoman Empire was at the center of interactions between
the Eastern and Western worlds for six centuries. The Siege of Vienna in 1529 was the first
attempt by the Ottoman Empire to capture the city of Vienna, Austria. The inability of the
Ottomans to capture Vienna in 1529 turned the tide against almost a century of conquest
throughout eastern and central Europe. The decision to attack Vienna after such a long interval
in the European campaign is viewed as an opportunistic maneuver after a decisive victory in
Hungary. Other scholars theorize that the suppression of Hungary simply marked the prologue
to a later, premeditated invasion of Europe. The prejudice that Muslims are dominant and
violent originates here.
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9/11
After the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, the picture of Muslims has changed
worldwide. Many associated and still associate terrorism with Muslims. The issue of postSeptember 11 American Islam is of increasing interest to many people today both within and
beyond the United States. American Islam is a phenomenon to watch in the 21st century. It is
the fastest growing, the most vibrant, and the most intellectually influential Muslim minority
in the world. In light of this, American Islam has the potential to influence both the Islamic
world and the West, particularly the U.S.
Organizations
Stop Islamization of America (SIOA): SIOA is a far-right, extremist organization know for its
controversial and islamophobic campaign. It has been described as a Muslim-hate group. The
organization refers to itself as a human rights organization, fighting for freedom of speech and
equal rights. Their campaign is to advertise in public transits.
A Muslim organization which has played such an important role in raising the profile of Islam
in the American public square is the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). CAIR
was created in June 1994 and has the professed goals of enhancing understanding of Islam,
promoting justice and empowering American Muslims. It is popularly seen today by both its
supporters and its critics as a defender of the rights of Muslims in the U.S. Many similar
organizations exist in other western countries.
ISIS
True Muslims, like true Christians, sincerely pursue the path of holiness to attain union of love
and will with God; hence, murderous and cruel groups like the ISIS, the Taliban, and the Abu
Sayyafs are not true Muslims but are rather deviants and aberrations of Islam. Islamophobia
plays right into the hands of ISIS. When ISIS executes its attacks, it has a strict plan. It knows
that Muslims will be blamed en masse in the aftermath. One of its key aims is to separate
western societies and their Muslim communities . It aims to provoke Western governments into
clamping down on their own Muslim populations, the better to drive them into ISIS’s arms. If
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Islamophobia, especially expressed by Republicans, continues to escalate ISIS will only grow
stronger. For a week after the terrorists attacks on Paris in 2015 115 anti-Muslim attacks were
reported.
Key Terms
Abrahamic: Abrahamic religions emphasize and trace their origin to the tribal patriarch
Abraham. The three major Abrahamic religions are Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Taliban: A fundamentalist Muslim movement whose militia took control of much of
Afghanistan from early 1995, and in 1996 took Kabul and set up an Islamic state. The Taliban
were overthrown by US-led forces and Afghan groups in 2001 following the events of
September 11.
Abu Sayyafas: a small gang of terrorists claiming to seek a separate Islamic state for the Muslim
minority in the Philippines; uses bombing, murder, extortion, and kidnapping.
Countries and Organisations Involved
United States of America
As an effect of the 9/11 attacks, many Americans have obtained an anti-Middle Eastern
sentiment that has been particularly visible in the past few years, as the refugee ‘crisis’
intensifies. It has led to a reluctance amongst the public towards granting e.g. Syrian refugees
asylum – the Obama Administration was largely criticized for their intentions to increase the
number of Syrian refugees accepted into the country.
Western Europe
Many European countries are becoming increasingly anti-Muslim. The recent rise of far-right
political parties and activists signifies the general sentiment of excluding refugees from
entering and living in Western countries. This is especially bad in countries that have accepted
many refugees; the masses are frequently blamed for the crimes committed by the few. That is,
the generalization taking place causes citizens of the host-country to stereotype and assume
that Muslims are prone to be criminals, even when this is not the case.
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Useful Sources
List of affected countries:
http://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/10-most-racist-european-countries-towards-muslims367218/2/
UN-Resolution A/HRC/7/19
UN-Resolution A/HRC/RES/16/18
http://www.alternet.org/grayzone-project/europes-first-report-islamophobia-showsdangerous-climate-muslims-live
https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/explainers/islamophobia-europe
http://www.soundvision.com/article/14-ways-you-can-fight-islamophobia
http://www.gallup.com/poll/157082/islamophobia-understanding-anti-muslim-sentimentwest.aspx
Expectations for Position Papers
1. What is your countries position towards Islamophobia and Muslims in general?
2. Is your country affected?
3. Has your country taken any measures to limit islamophobia and the consequences of
it?
4. What measures to prevent Islamophobia has your country/organisation taken?
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