- Bridge Initiative

The Bridge Initiative: Achievements

06 May 2025

The Bridge Initiative was established in 2015 to provide accessible and scholarly information on Islamophobia. In the last five years (2020-2024), The Bridge Initiative has produced over 235 pieces of research (factsheets, articles, reports).Our research has been featured in prominent media outlets, including the New Yorker, New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Haaretz, The Forward, The Intercept, TIME, and more. read the complete article

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: ALTERNATIVE FOR GERMANY (ALTERNATIVE FÜR DEUTSCHLAND/AfD)

07 Apr 2020

IMPACT: Alternative for Germany (Alternative für Deutschland/AfD) is a far-right political party in Germany and the first far-right nationalist party to enter the German parliament since World War II. AfD is widely regarded as an... read the complete article

Five Islamophobia Questions with Peter Beinart

14 Feb 2023

In the past two decades, there’s been a demonstrable rise in Islamophobia and Antisemitism across the globe. Not only has this manifested in discriminatory and dangerous rhetoric, including the promotion of far-right conspiracy theories by politicians, it has resulted in a number of deadly attacks on Muslim and Jewish communities. 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

20 years of Guantánamo: a symbol of injustice, abuse, and disregard for the rule of law

11 Jan 2022

On January 11, 2002, the first individuals arrived at the Guantánamo Bay Military Prison. In the twenty years since the establishment of the prison, a total of 780 Muslim men and boys have passed through the prison, with over 98% never being charged with a crime. In the two decades since its founding, only two prisoners have ever been convicted. 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

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

17 Jun 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

Factsheet

10 Jun 2025

Factsheet: Björn Höcke

RELEVANZ: Björn Uwe Höcke ist ein deutscher Politiker und Mitglied der rechtspopulistischen Partei Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), deren Landesverband in Thüringen er führt. Im Jahr 2024 gewann dieser Landesverband die Landtagswahl – das erste Mal... read the complete article

Factsheet

03 Jun 2025

Factsheet: Canary Mission

Canary Mission is an organization that aims to document “individuals and organizations that promote hatred of the USA, Israel and Jews on North American college campuses and beyond.” Its website smears Muslim, Arab, and pro-Palestinian students, academics, and organizations by conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism. The organization publishes detailed online profiles accusing individuals—often with little or no evidence—of supporting terrorism or promoting antisemitism, simply for expressing pro-Palestinian views or criticizing Zionism. read the complete article

Factsheet

20 May 2025

Factsheet: Björn Höcke

Björn Uwe Höcke is a German politician. He is a member of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and leads its chapter in the state of Thuringia. In 2024, this chapter won the state election, the first time a far-right party won in an election since the Nazi era. Höcke has echoed Nazi language, described the Holocaust Museum as a “monument of shame,” has a record of making anti-Islam statements, and argued that Muslims are not welcome in Germany. read the complete article

Featured Resources

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

Article

see all resources

Factsheets

Factsheet

see all fact sheets