Resources on Islamophobia and Muslim Life

Definitions and Dimensions of Islamophobia

Islamophobia can be most comprehensively defined as fear, prejudice or discrimination against someone due to their Muslim identity. It is often a multifaceted phenomenon that occurs on a number of overlapping dimensions that include but are not limited to religion, gender, race/ethnicity, and political identity. American Muslims are often in turn at risk of double or triple layers of simultaneous discrimination. The multi-dimensionality of this definition is critical to note because Islamophobia is often  reproduced by a network of historic as well as private, interpersonal and institutional structures that affect the American Muslim communities at once.

Discriminatory actions and policies can extend beyond the physical and digital domains, expressing themselves and sanctioned by educational, economic, and political structures. It is incumbent upon institutions of higher education to uphold their responsibility in ensuring the safety and security of all students. We implore all students, campus staff, and administrators to actively combat Islamophobia in all its dimensions on college campuses and within online communities across the United States.

Islamophobia  and White Supremacy

It is critical to name the longstanding relationships between White Supremacy and Islamophobia are inseparable from histories of colonization of the Muslim majority societies, enslavement of Black Muslims in the Americas/anti-Black racism, foreign policies visible most recently in anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism and its dehumanizing and deteriorating effects on American Muslim’s mental health.