EIR 2023
EIR 2023
Escalating Anti-Muslim Racism Across Europe
We are pleased to present the ninth edition of the European Islamophobia Report (EIR 2023). The report, authored by 33 scholars and experts, offers a comprehensive analysis of Islamophobia’s state and development across 28 European countries in 2023. Since its inaugural edition in 2015, the EIR has become an indispensable resource for understanding Islamophobia’s impact on politics, media, employment, education, and justice.
In her report on France in this volume, Kawtar Najib has highlighted the killing of Nahel Merzouk, a young man, in the context of a simple traffic stop that could have had a completely different outcome, stating that there was no violence on the part of Nahel or his two friends aged 17 and 14 years old who were passengers. She understands his murder at the hands of French police as the murder of “a racialized Muslim body, … a killable body that a police agent representing the French state could target.” Najib shows that the police union Alliance came to the defense of the murderers, stating they were at war with “nuisibles et hordes sauvages” (pests and wild hordes), a dehumanizing reference to racialized Black, Arab, and Muslim bodies in the French banlieues. Revolts and protests followed the killing for several days in June and July 2023. During these protests, other racialized men were also killed by the police and others suffered physical deformations following shots. Some lost an eye and a man lost a part of his skull which had to be removed for his survival. This episode, which became the cover page of this year’s report, is characteristic of the extent of dehumanization and criminalization of postcolonial populations in a metropole of a major European country. The episode was sparked by state violence and led to the arrest of 3,200 individuals (including children), 1,056 of whom were sentenced to prison.
The 2023 report sheds light on the multifaceted dimensions of anti-Muslim racism and its systemic entrenchment across Europe. From discriminatory laws to hate crimes, the report examines how these dynamics undermine fundamental rights and freedoms. The findings call for urgent and systematic interventions to combat this form of racism.
Key highlights of the 2023 report include:
– Neglect of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia: Apart from Spain, no European government recognized this UN-designated day in 2023.
– Impact of the Gaza Conflict: The war exacerbated Islamophobic rhetoric, framing pro-Palestinian solidarity as extremism, leading to protest bans and other restrictive measures in countries like Germany, France, and Denmark.
– Media and Social Media Dynamics: Mainstream and far-right media, along with social media platforms, amplified anti-Muslim narratives, dehumanizing Muslims and fostering disinformation.
– Surge in Hate Crimes and Discrimination: Hate crimes against Muslims increased significantly, especially in Norway, Spain, and Greece.
– Institutional Discrimination: Legal and educational systems perpetuated biases against Muslims, with France and Denmark enforcing controversial policies targeting Muslim communities.
To address these challenges, EIR 2023 calls for:
– Full recognition of Islamophobia as a systemic issue by European governments.
– Strengthened legal frameworks to combat discrimination and hate crimes.
– Increased efforts by civil society and international organizations to promote inclusivity and counter anti-Muslim narratives.
– Enhanced monitoring and accountability for media and social media platforms to prevent the spread of hate speech and disinformation.
The European Islamophobia Report 2023 serves as a critical resource for policymakers, academics, and civil society, offering detailed insights and actionable recommendations to combat Islamophobia effectively.
As with last year’s edition, this project is supported by the International Islamophobia Studies and Research Association (IISRA) in Berkeley, California, the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California, the Center for Security, Race, and Rights at Rutgers University, the Leopold Weiss Institute in Vienna, and the Research Center Social in Nova Mesto, Slovenia.
For more information or to access the full report, please visit:
www.islamophobiareport.com ( EIR 2023 will be avalibale on Saturday 21.12.2024)
Editors:
Assoc. Prof. Enes Bayraklı (Turkish-German University)
Assoc. Prof. Farid Hafez (William & Marry University)