Bridge Initiative Team, Author at Bridge Initiative

13 Mar 2024

Five Questions on Islamophobia in Gaza Report

In Episode 12 of “Unpacking Islamophobia,” our guests for the March 2024 episode are Professor Sahar Aziz and Mitchell Plitnick who are co-authors of a November 2023 Rutgers University report from the Center for Security, Race and Rights called “Presumptively Antisemitic: Islamophobic Tropes in the Palestine-Israel Discourse,” which examines how anti-Palestinian racism and Islamophobia have been used to silence criticism of the Israeli government. read the complete article

Podcast

07 Feb 2024

Five Questions on Hijab Bans in Global Sports

In Episode 11 of “Unpacking Islamophobia,” our guest is Shireen Ahmed who is an award-winning sports activist, multi-platform sports journalist, and public speaker. Her work focuses on Muslim women, and the intersections of racism and misogyny in sports. Shireen is a co-host for the Burn It All Down Podcast and she is also a senior contributor for CBC Sports in Canada, as well as an instructor at Toronto Metropolitan University. read the complete article

Factsheet

01 Feb 2024 | Organizations

Factsheet: Österreichischer Integrationsfonds (ÖIF)

RELEVANZ: Der Österreichische Integrationsfonds (ÖIF) ist ein Fonds der Republik Österreich, der sowohl auf Bundes- als auch auf Landesebene für Integrationsangelegenheiten (gesellschaftliche Integration von Minderheiten) zuständig ist. In der Ära von Sebastian Kurz wurde der ÖIF als eine Plattform genutzt, um antimuslimische Ansichten durch Referenten und Berichte zu fördern und damit die antimuslimische Politik der Österreichischen Volkspartei (ÖVP) zu untermauern. read the complete article

Factsheet

17 Jan 2024 | Organizations

Factsheet: Der Wiener Akademikerbund

Der Wiener Akademikerbund wurde 1957 gehörte zur Österreichischen Volkspartei (ÖVP). Im Jahr 2011 wurde er formell aus der ÖVP ausgeschlossen, weil er das Verbotsgesetz von 1947 in Frage stellte, welches die Leugnung des Holocaust und die Verharmlosung der Nazi-Gräueltaten unter Strafe stellt. Der Wiener Akademikerbund ist eine rechtskonservative Denkfabrik (Think Tank), die für Neoliberalismus und christliche Werte einsteht. read the complete article

Factsheet

12 Jan 2024 | Individuals

Factsheet: Narendra Modi

Narendra Damodardas Modi is the current Prime Minister of India. He was the Chief Minister of Gujarat during the deadly 2002 anti-Muslim pogroms in the state, and throughout his political career, he has promoted Hindu nationalist views. Under his leadership, India has experienced a rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes and hate speech, increasing polarization and violence in society, growing restrictions on the media, and the growth of Hindu nationalist groups. Critics and human rights experts have warned that under Modi’s leadership, democracy in India is under threat. read the complete article

Factsheet

08 Jan 2024 | Law Enforcement

Factsheet: Operation Luxor

Operation Luxor was a large-scale police operation involving 940 officers targeting dozens of individuals and businesses that took place on November 9, 2020, in Austria. The government claimed the action aimed to “cut off the roots of political Islam.” In 2021, an Austrian court ruled that the raids were unlawful. In the three years since the raids, not a single person has been arrested or convicted. This “textbook example of governing with crime and fear” was conducted under Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who was known for his anti-Muslim policies. read the complete article

Factsheet

05 Jan 2024 | Organizations

Factsheet: Alp Services

Alp Services is a private global public affairs and intelligence firm based in Geneva, Switzerland. In 2023, it was revealed that Alp Services worked for the United Arab Emirates, and carried out the largest disinformation campaign against Muslims in Europe, linking successful business people, organizations, and individuals to the Muslim Brotherhood in an effort to smear and blackmail them. The campaign relied on Islamophobic tropes as it framed Muslim individuals and organizations of being tied to an alleged “Islamist movement.” read the complete article

Factsheet

04 Jan 2024 | Organizations

Factsheet: Hindu Swayamsewak Sangh (HSS)

Hindu Swayamsewak Sangh (HSS) is a right-wing Hindu non-profit organization registered in New Jersey. On its website, the group states its mission is “to organize a diverse and vibrant Hindu American society that can collectively address its challenges and contribute to the welfare of the world.” As of November 2023, HSS claims it has 220 Shakhas (branches) nationwide. HSS’s website venerates the early ideologues of Hindu nationalism, including those who praised Nazi Germany. Additionally, HSS has hosted prominent figures from the RSS, an Indian right-wing, Hindu nationalist, paramilitary volunteer organization. read the complete article

Podcast

11 Dec 2023

Five Questions on Islamophobia in France

In Episode 10 of “Unpacking Islamophobia,” our guest is Rim-Sarah Alouane who is a French legal scholar and PhD candidate named one of the 2023 European Young Leaders Under 40 by the Friends of Europe and whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Foreign Policy, Al Jazeera, BBC and France 24. read the complete article

Video

06 Dec 2023 | Event

Report Launch: Hindutva in Britain

Join The Bridge Initiative and Community Policy Forum as we launch a new report examining the presence of Hindu nationalism in the UK, and how last year’s events in Leicester were used by anti-Muslim voices to sow division in one of the UK’s most multicultural cities. read the complete article