The radicalization of religion in Islamophobia
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Islamophobia presents a serious challenge because it operates at the intersection of religion and race, making it difficult to address through traditional approaches to racism. One of the core issues is how Islamophobia targets people not just for their beliefs, but for visible cultural and religious markers, such as wearing a hijab, sporting a beard, or having a South Asian or Middle Eastern appearance. This blurring of religious and racial boundaries creates a dangerous environment where people are singled out based on their perceived identity, regardless of their actual religious affiliation.
For example, Kamal Arora’s account of anti-Sikh violence in the aftermath of the Wisconsin Gurdwara shooting demonstrates how Islamophobia extends beyond Muslims to anyone who looks "different" in the eyes of those holding xenophobic or racist views. This indicates that Islamophobia isn’t just about religious intolerance but also about enforcing rigid social boundaries that punish visible signs of difference. It shows that racism today is often rooted in cultural and religious perceptions, not just physical traits like skin colour. The treatment of Sikhs as targets of Islamophobia reveals how superficial and generalized these forms of hatred have become.
Another problemetic aspect of Islamophobia is how it is framed as a legitimate response to national security concerns. Since 9/11, the perception of Muslims has been deeply attached with fears of terrorism, resulting in policies and rhetoric that treat Muslim communities as inherently suspicious. As Junaid Rana points out, this radicalization of Muslims as dangerous “others” has roots in colonial histories and the labor migrations that fuelled them. Today, this radicalization operates through global narratives that link Muslims to terrorism and violence, further rooting Islamophobia as part of state policies and societal attitudes.
This systemic nature of Islamophobia makes it difficult to combat, especially when governments themselves contribute to these narratives through policies that disproportionately target Muslim communities. The resistance to Iqra Khalid’s Bill M-103 is a clear example of how deeply embedded these fears are. Critics of the bill claimed that it would censor free speech, but these criticisms reflect an unwillingness to acknowledge how Islamophobia functions as a form of racism. The underlying issue isn’t whether people can critique Islam as a religion but whether society is willing to confront the way that Muslims, and those who are racialized as Muslim, are systematically marginalized and discriminated against.
What becomes clear is that Islamophobia is a structural problem that surpress individual prejudice. It is embedded in legal systems, media representations, and public perceptions, all of which contribute to a climate of fear and hostility towards Muslims and other radicalized groups. Addressing Islamophobia means recognizing that it is not simply a matter of religious intolerance but a broader system of exclusion that affects anyone who is perceived as "other" based on cultural or religious markers. The challenge is how to dismantle these structures when they are so deeply rooted in societal institutions.