Monitoring Muslim Discrimination [PDF Report]

This research titled ‘Monitoring Muslim Discrimination’ is the second publication in a research on anti-Muslim discrimination and builds upon an earlier publication: ‘Islamophobia and Discrimination’. It is part of IMES Report Series and has been financially supported by Open Society Foundations, PALET, Registration Point Discrimination Amsterdam. The author dr. Ineke van der Valk studied pedagogy/education theory and ethnical studies. She received her Ph.D. in 2002 in the field of Humanities at the University of Amsterdam. She wrote on different topics, such as: migration, human rights, minorities and integration.

Motive for conducting this research was to gain more/better insight in anti-Muslim discrimination. The researcher writes that monitor studies are useful in revealing patterns with regards to Muslim discrimination. Which is important, since it has often been thought that this was ‘just’ a form of critique on their religious beliefs. The research has three aims, namely:

·An increased insight into Islamphobia, its causes, incidence, impact and consequences

·To obtain public and official recognition of Islamophobia as a form of racism, which will make monitoring in the future easier

·To contribute to developing counter policies and practices of among civil society organizations and national governments.

The research reveals several numbers related to anti-Muslim Discrimination. 39% of the 475 mosques in the Netherlands have experienced discriminatory aggression, for example arsons. 68% of the mosque organizations that filled in a survey stated they have experience with aggressions, mainly the smashing of windows. This has caused both material and psychological damage to these specific Muslim communities. 85% of the mosques reported to the police, but 51% didn’t feel they were helped or taken serious by the police. One can thus state that anti-Muslim discrimination is a serious issue. The research further delves into the reasons behind the aggression. Reasons that are mentioned are for example the imaging of Muslims/Islam in the media, lack of knowledge about Islam among the public and reactions to terrorist attacks.

Research Muslim Discrimination University of Amsterdam.compressed [Download PDF here]

Share Button

Sources