Islamophobia

Islamophobia has proliferated exponentially since September 11, in countless cases of discrimination, racism. hate speeches, physical attacks, and anti-Muslim campaigns. The 2006 Danish cartoon crisis and the controversy surrounding Pope Benedict XVI's Regensburg speech have also raised crucial questions about freedom of expression, multiculturalism, respect for religious symbols, and interfaith relations.

The 1997 Runnymede Report defines Islamophobia as "dread, hatred, and hostility towards Islam and Muslims perpetuated by a series of closed views that imply and attribute negative and derogatory stereotypes and beliefs to Muslims." Violating, the core principles of religious freedom, civil liberties, and human rights, Islamophobic acts take many different forms. In some cases, mosques, Islamic centers, and Muslim properties are attacked and desecrated. In the workplace, schools, and housing, it takes the form of suspicion, hazing, mockery, rejection, stigmatizing, and discrimination. In public places, it occurs in hate speech and denial of access to goods and services.

This collection of essays takes a multidisciplinary approach to Islamophobia, bringing together the expertise and experience of Muslim and non-Muslim, American and European scholars. Combining analysis with policy recommendations, the contributors discuss and evaluate existing practices and offer new ways of dealing with discrimination, xenophobia, and racism.

John L. Esposito is University Professor or Religion and International Affairs at Georgetown University and Founding Director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian understanding. He is editor-in-chief of the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World and The Oxford History of Islam. His more than 45 books include The Future of Islam; Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think; The Future of Islam and the forthcoming What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam, Second Edition.

Ibrahim Kalin is a Senior Fellow or the Prince Ahvaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University and author of Knowledge in Later Islamic Philosophy: Mullp Sadrp on Existence, Intellect, and Intuition.