1 – 30 November
During November the Union is focussing on Islamophobia Awareness, and throughout the month we will be looking at the impact of Islamophobia, talking about some of the key issues and highlighting the work of our Islamic Students’ Association.
The OED defines Islamophobia as –
‘intense dislike or fear of Islam, especially as a political force, hostility or prejudice towards Muslims’. A simpler definition is ‘anti-Muslim racism.’
– OED
There are several factors that contribute to Islamophobia, but these include orientalism (which paints areas outside of Europe and their cultures as ‘other’), racialisation (which groups a large and diverse group of people, regardless of their differences), internalisation (which stereotypes an entire group of people) and xenophobia (fear of foreigners or others).
We know Islamophobia still exists in the world today, with Muslim people facing abuse, physical or verbal attacks on their places of worship or their property, and ethnic profiling.
The best way to counter islamophobia is by starting with yourself. Educate yourself on the hardship Muslims face and speak up when you see something that doesn’t seem right or fair.
Have you had experience of Islamophobia? The Report and Support tool is there for any student who experiences or witnesses harassment or abuse, online or in person. Report + Support – University of Surrey
Useful resources to help you find out more:
https://ing.org/islamophobia-and-its-impact/
Islamophobia Awareness Month (islamophobia-awareness.org)
https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/explainers/islamophobia-europe
