Bridge Initiative

The Bridge Initiative is a multi-year research project on Islamophobia housed in Georgetown University

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Bridge Initiative Research Publications Politics

Displaying Research Topic: Politics

Article

14 Nov 2024 | Policy/Law

Hostile Policies, Daily Struggles: How Islamophobia Shapes Life for Muslims in Europe

Over the past decade, Europe has seen a pronounced shift to the right, as far-right parties across the continent have moved into the mainstream. A significant driver of this shift has been the persistence and visibility of Islamophobia within European society. Anti-Muslim attitudes are widespread, and many elected officials have capitalized on these sentiments. By using Muslim communities as scapegoats, they deflect attention from policy shortcomings, and have instead gained support by appealing to negative perceptions of Muslims.  read the complete article

Article

28 Oct 2024 | Policy/Law

Populism and Prejudice: Insights from Global Islamophobia and the Rise of Populism

In the newly released book Global Islamophobia and the Rise of Populism (edited by Professor Sahar F. Aziz and Professor John L. Esposito), a group of scholars and international experts examine the rise of Islamophobia and populism across various countries, from India to Europe. Each chapter explores how anti-Muslim stereotypes and narratives have been strategically employed by politicians and governments to win electoral support, creating a harmful, discriminatory, dangerous, and sometimes deadly environment for Muslims.  read the complete article

Factsheet

15 Oct 2024 | Individuals

Factsheet: Herbert Kickl

Herbert Kickl is the current leader of the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ), one of Austria’s major political parties that has shared power in various coalitions over the past three decades. It regained power, especially after mobilizing against immigrants and Muslims and is one of the main factors in the institutionalization of Islamophobia in Austria with many links to far-right anti-Muslim actors around the globe. Kickl invented the most successful anti-Muslim political campaigns of his party with slogans such as “Home, not Islam” (Daham statt Islam). read the complete article

Factsheet

11 Oct 2024 | Individuals

Factsheet: Tommy Robinson

Tommy Robinson is a British anti-Muslim and anti-immigration activist. A co-founder of the racist English Defense League, Robinson believes Islam is a “disease” and Muslims are invading Europe. He has been connected to trans-national anti-Muslim activists and organizations, including PEGIDA. Robinson has had numerous criminal convictions and is currently serving time in jail. read the complete article

Article

06 Sep 2024 | Politics

Why Muslim Americans Are Losing Faith in the U.S. Election: Disillusionment due to Bipartisan Islamophobia and Gaza Policy

This November, Americans will head to the polls to elect their next president. While several third-party candidates are in the running, the race ultimately comes down to Democratic candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris, and Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump. Amid the election season, one issue that has become central for many Muslim Americans is Israel’s war in Gaza. read the complete article

Factsheet

29 Aug 2024 | Individuals

Factsheet: Rishi Sunak

Rishi Sunak was the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party, the first British-Indian to be prime minister and when elected, the youngest holder of the office in modern times. As leader of the party and the head of state, Sunak failed to tackle Islamophobia both within the party and amongst wider British society. read the complete article

Article

28 Jun 2024 | Politics

E.U. Far-Right Parties Dominate 2024 Parliamentary Elections

Every five years, the European Union (EU) holds continent-wide parliamentary elections to select 720 lawmakers to represent them in decision-making at the EU level. In the run-up to the June 2024 EU parliamentary elections, the current EU Parliament President, Roberta Metsola from Malta, urged Europeans to vote, especially given that  right-wing ultranationalist political parties were polling strongly. read the complete article

Article

31 May 2024 | Politics

April 2024 Poll: US Jews & Muslims Face Rising Discrimination

In addition to the humanitarian catastrophe caused by the ongoing war in Gaza, the United States is also witnessing a rise in religious discrimination against both Muslims and Jews in the West. An April 2024 poll by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) was part of a three-part series of surveys aimed at assessing the views of Jewish and Muslim Americans (as well as Catholic, Protestant, including white Evangelicals, and those not affiliated with a religious group) on a number of issues related to religious discrimination in the United States. read the complete article

Factsheet

13 May 2024 | Politics

Factsheet: Love Jihad Conspiracy Theory

Love Jihad is a widely debunked conspiracy theory promoted by Hindu nationalists in India to incite fear, animosity, and violence against the country’s 200 million Muslims. The theory claims that Muslim men are luring Hindu women into marriages in an effort to forcibly convert them to Islam. This conspiracy theory has been heavily promoted by Hindu far-right groups, right-wing media, and the leaders of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As a result of this conspiracy theory, Muslim men have been imprisoned, faced violent attacks, and killed. read the complete article