Islamophobia and National Identity in Europe

Xenophobia towards asylum seekers: A survey of social theories

“…Scholars, working in a range of contexts, have drawn attention to deeply held national narratives that portray the country as homogeneously Anglo-Celtic (Jackson, 2018; Klocker, 2004: 3; Papastergiadis, 2004). From this perspective, asylum seekers with different skin colours have been interpreted as a threat to the national self.…”

“…In documenting the shift from biological to cultural characterisations of Otherness, scholars have often used the concept of ‘Islamophobia’ to describe the way that asylum seekers have been homogenised as uniformly Muslim, and to show how racial fears and hostilities have thus been projected onto the Islamic faith (Dunn et al, 2007: 574; Jackson, 2018; Klocker, 2004: 10–11; Maddox, 2004: 2; Ogan et al, 2013; Poynting and Briskman, 2018; Poynting et al, 2004; Randell-Moon, 2006). Negative portrayals of Islam are prominent in Christian majority nations, as are broader claims of links between the Islamic faith and terrorism (Dunn et al, 2007; Jackson, 2018; Nagel, 2016). While these pejorative discourses typically take on ‘national particularities’ (Jackson, 2018: 141) – for example, Islam is framed as a threat to free expression in Denmark, to sexual freedom in the Netherlands, to tolerance in Switzerland and to gender equality in France (Jackson, 2018: 138) – themes of danger and Otherness have been ubiquitous.…”

“…Negative portrayals of Islam are prominent in Christian majority nations, as are broader claims of links between the Islamic faith and terrorism (Dunn et al, 2007; Jackson, 2018; Nagel, 2016). While these pejorative discourses typically take on ‘national particularities’ (Jackson, 2018: 141) – for example, Islam is framed as a threat to free expression in Denmark, to sexual freedom in the Netherlands, to tolerance in Switzerland and to gender equality in France (Jackson, 2018: 138) – themes of danger and Otherness have been ubiquitous. Furthermore, asylum seekers are not only ascribed a monolithic (Islamic) religion, but ‘Muslim’ has become synonymous with ‘Arab’ (Poynting et al, 2004: 59), such that Islam has come to denote a ‘racial category’ (Ogan et al, 2013: 42).…”

The EU Rule of Law Initiative Towards the Western Balkans

“…The same conclusion can be drawn for other Member States where Eurosceptic parties are on the rise, and there is an increase in the opposition to further European integration (Kuhn 2019 ). One should also not underestimate the rise of Islamophobia within the internal politics of some Member States (Jackson 2018 ), given that Albania is a country with a large Muslim population, and that 25 per cent of the population of North Macedonia are ethnic Albanians who share the Muslim faith. There are Member States uncomfortable with the idea of a country with a large Muslim majority 30 ever joining the EU (Noutcheva and Düzgit 2011 ).…”

Think local, act global: Civic vigilance as cosmopolitan political motivation

“…In the case of pride, a commitment to a liberal values may very well support xenophobia and a tendency toward isolationism, as opposed to internationalism, aiming to preserve the purity of national culture. A striking example of this unintended backlash is the mobilization of LGBT rights advocacy in the service of anti‐immigrant Islamophobia, reframing exclusion of migrants as a defense of Enlightenment values (Jackson 2018).…”