- 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: 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

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.

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08 May 2025

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Article

06 May 2025

The Bridge Initiative: Achievements

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

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

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