Home Page - Bridge Initiative

Silencing Dissent: The Islamophobia Industry’s Assault on Academic Freedom

27 Mar 2025

In 2025, The Bridge Initiative marks ten years since its launch. Founded by world-renowned Islamic studies scholar Dr. John L. Esposito, the project, housed under the Al-Waleed Center for Muslim Christian Understanding (ACMCU) at Georgetown University, was created in response to the urgent need for a reliable source on Islamophobia. As the issue grew in the United States, Bridge was established with a clear mission: to study, analyze, and provide the public with resources on Islamophobia—how it manifests and the often-devastating consequences it brings to individuals and society. read the complete article

Factsheet: DONALD TRUMP AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

02 Dec 2019

IMPACT: The 45th President of the U.S., Donald Trump has implemented anti-Muslim policies and nominated and appointed individuals to his administration with a history of anti-Muslim animus. He has also used his Twitter to amplify... read the complete article

Factsheet: Elon Musk

17 Feb 2025

Elon Musk is a billionaire entrepreneur and the CEO or top executive of multiple high-profile companies, including X (formerly Twitter), Tesla and SpaceX. He has a documented history of amplifying anti-Muslim tropes, supporting individuals and organizations that promote Islamophobia, and making statements that minimize or dismiss concerns about anti-Muslim racism. His actions and influence have contributed to the normalization of Islamophobic rhetoric in public discourse. In 2024, U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Musk to lead the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency. read the complete article

Factsheet: Pete Hegseth

28 Jan 2025

Pete Hegseth is a former Fox News political commentator, author, and former Army National Guard officer who served in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He has tattoos that are associated with white nationalism and has a history of making Islamophobic statements. Hegseth has also been accused of sexual assault and has had several incidences of alleged sexist behavior. read the complete article

Factsheet: Alice Weidel

04 Apr 2025

Alice Weidel ist die Co-Vorsitzende der Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), einer rechtsextremen politischen Partei in Deutschland und der ersten nationalistischen Rechtspartei, die seit dem Zweiten Weltkrieg in den deutschen Bundestag eingezogen ist. read the complete article

Hindutva in Britain

24 Nov 2023

This report analyzes the historical and contemporary context that has cultivated the complex landscape in which Hindu nationalist influences have materialized in the UK. Our research provides an overview of Hindutva in India, the Islamophobia industry and its connection to Hindutva, UK-based groups and individuals who have expressed or supported Hindu nationalist sentiment, and the 2022 Leicester riots, the political response and fallout following the events in the city. read the complete article

Factsheet: Geert Wilders

24 Aug 2018

A prominent politician in the Netherlands, Geert Wilders has decried what he calls the “Islamization” of the Netherlands and advocates a ban on the Qur’an. He believes Islam is a problem and promotes anti-Muslim tropes, namely that Islam is not a religion; it is a totalitarian and violent ideology. His alarmist, discriminatory, and racist rhetoric paints all Muslims as violent individuals who seek to dominate Europe. read the complete article

Guantánamo Bay Military Prison: Narratives and Numbers

04 Nov 2020

Introduction The Guantánamo Bay Data Project serves as a central source of information on the Guantánamo Bay Military Prison. This project provides a comprehensive picture of the prison, centering the lives of the boys and... read the complete article

Factsheet: Common Anti-Muslim Tropes

04 Dec 2018

These tropes are not only found on anti-Muslim blogs online, but also in news and entertainment media. They can also be manifested in political speech and can serve as assumptions underlying government policy. read the complete article

In Focus

As Islamophobia seeps into the mainstream, reliable information is more needed than ever before.

learn about us

06 May 2025

Today in Islamophobia

Subscribe for daily updates from the Bridge Initiative about Islamophobia in the U.S. and around the world. Read today’s headlines

The Latest

Editorial

25 Apr 2025

Bridging Worlds: Reflections on Teaching, Dialogue, and the University’s Role

As a historian of the Middle East and a historian of religions, my scholarship and teaching for over two decades have focused on the history of interfaith and interreligious relations, pluralism, and identity. Over this... read the complete article

Factsheet

04 Apr 2025

Factsheet: Alice Weidel

Article

27 Mar 2025

Silencing Dissent: The Islamophobia Industry’s Assault on Academic Freedom

Featured Resources

China justifies its Concentration Camps using “War on Terror” discourse

Article

see all resources

Factsheets

Factsheet

see all fact sheets