![[Farid Hafez]](https://bridge.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-04-at-10.45.01-AM.jpeg "Farid Hafez")
The Bridge Initiative is a multi-year research project on Islamophobia housed in Georgetown University.
The Bridge Initiative aims to disseminate original and accessible research, offers engaging analysis and commentary on contemporary issues, and hosts a wide repository of educational resources to inform the general public about Islamophobia.
Research & Resources
A story of racism and anti-racism in Austria
This op-ed by Bridge Initiative Senior Research Fellow Farid Hafez originally appeared in TRT World. Vienna’s “New Year’s Baby” made it to the international edition of the New York Times, something that doesn’t happen every year. The reason, far from festive, was the wave of hatred sweeping Austrian online media after a picture showing a young Muslim…
How Russian Bots Instrumentalized Islamophobia (But Don’t Just Blame the Bots)
The role of social media is becoming central to the U.S. Congress’ investigation into whether (and to what extent) a foreign entity interfered with the 2016 presidential election. On October 31st, and November 1, 2017, representatives from Facebook, Twitter, and Google testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee as Members of Congress attempt to understand the…
Islamophobes in Power: The Czech Republic
Many observers, especially from the rest of the world, wished for Jiří Drahoš to become the new president of the Czech Republic after the first directly elected president in 2013, Miloš Zeman. Zeman won only in a second round by a thin but decisive margin of 51.5% to 48.5% against his opponent Drahoš. Zeman, who…