Bridge Initiative Team, Author at Bridge Initiative

22 May 2015

In UK, False Stories About Muslims Fuel Hate Crimes & Prejudice

In the past week, three pieces about Islamophobia in the UK caught our attention. They underscore the depth of anti-Muslim prejudice in British society, and point to some of the reasons behind it. On Tuesday, The Guardian reported that a study... read the complete article

Article

05 May 2015

Pamela Geller Says She Doesn’t Hate Muslims. But Lots of Her Followers Do.

On Sunday, May 3, 2015, two gunmen opened fire outside of a “Draw Muhammad” contest hosted by the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI) in Garland, Texas. A security guard was wounded and police killed the suspects.... read the complete article

Article

27 Apr 2015

Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s Long History of Fabricating & Fear-mongering

In recent weeks, Ayaan Hirsi Ali has been making rounds on national media outlets, promoting her latest book, Heretic. Portrayed in many circles as a credible voice on Islam, she has made recent appearances on... read the complete article

Article

24 Apr 2015

Islamophobia on Twitter: New Research Uncovers Tactics of Anti-Muslim Prejudice Online

In May of 2013, British soldier Lee Rigby was murdered by two Muslim men. The tragic event provoked a strong reaction from many corners of Europe and the United States. Some Muslims in the UK... read the complete article

Article

24 Apr 2015

New Study Analyzes Media Coverage of Islam Over Time

In recent years, many have argued that Western media coverage of Islam has been almost exclusively negative. Numerous studies conducted by MediaTenor, an international research institute led by Roland Schatz, now provide hard data that... read the complete article

Article

24 Apr 2015

New Research Shows How Activists Use the Law to Make You Afraid of Muslims

Though Islamic law, or Sharia, does not exist in the United States, eight states (Alabama, North Carolina, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Tennessee) have banned it. More than two dozen other states have... read the complete article

Editorial

24 Apr 2015

Problematic or Patriotic? Two Ways to Talk about Muslims

In March of 2011, Representative Peter King, a Republican from New York and the head of the House Homeland Security Committee, held the first of a series of hearings about the Muslim community in the... read the complete article

Article

24 Apr 2015

New Report Looks at Growth of Islamophobia on the Internet

“The Islamic Threat.” “Proud to Be An Infidel.” “It’s Not Racist to Criticize a Religion.” These memes, which circulate on popular Facebook pages, are not only incendiary, but according to a recent report out of... read the complete article

Research

23 Apr 2015

Meet the Network Behind Europe’s Anti-Muslim Hysteria

In Switzerland, politicians call for a ban on minaret construction. In France, legislators prohibits Muslim headscarves in public schools. In Germany, a massive anti-immigrant movement lashes out at Muslims. Over the course of the past... read the complete article

Article

21 Apr 2015

Trends in Islamophobia: Focus on UK

Last week, on April 11th, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom hosted a conversation, Europe at a Crossroad: Civil Society Efforts to Counter Religious Hatred and Bigotry in Europe, at the National Press Club... read the complete article