The Paradox of the Moderate Muslim Discourse: Subtyping Promotes Support for Anti-muslim Policies

Abstract

Tolerant discourse in the United States has responded to heightened stereotyping of Muslims as violent by countering that “not all Muslims are terrorists.” This subtyping of Muslims—as some radical terrorists among mostly peaceful “moderates”—is meant to protect a positive image of the group but leaves the original negative stereotype unchanged. We predicted that such discourse may paradoxically increase people’s support of anti-Muslim policies because the subtyping and its associated negative stereotypes justify hostile actions toward Muslims. In Study 1, subtyping predicted support for three anti-Muslim policies, but only among political moderates and conservatives. In Study 2, participants who were exposed to subtyping narratives expressed greater support for surveillance of Muslims in the United States. The effect of subtyping narrative exposure was stronger on support for hawkish anti-terror policy when participants’ preexisting endorsement of subtyping was low. Irrespective of the well-meaning intentions of peaceful vs. radical subtyping, its expression can justify ongoing “War on Terror” policies. As the population of Muslims increases in North America, the intuition that most Muslims do not meet the negative stereotype may ironically reduce inclusion.

Understanding Islamic Extremism Away from the Dominant Normative Paradigm

“…Too often, Islamic extremism is already value ridden-it is an excess, something irregular and negative, and must be explained away as to restore the subject to normality (Hankir et al, 2017). Hakim et al (2020) explain how perceptions of Muslims in Europe and the United States have undergone different stereotypic framings: In the nineteenth-century European travelers' input during the colonial period, Muslims were portrayed as exotic, sensuous and depraved. The twentieth-century witnessed the struggle for independence in sovereign state nations as well as massive migration patterns, and Muslims were seen as either anti-communist allies, or resentful antagonists to the West.…”

“…This systematic review does not aim at creating a subtype of Muslims (the good moderate Muslim versus the bad extremist Muslim) for such sub-typing serves more to maintain the status quo and justify the ongoing harm, as discussed by Hakim et al (2020). Instead, this review accepted common assumptions of extremism: Certain practices or views among Muslims are extreme, and they do deviate from norms of the dominant Western paradigm.…”

God and the Problems of Love

“…First, you would not see the "not" in the sentences abovethat is you would see in your mind, despite the indelible text on a page, "Mexicans are lazy, Arabs are barbaric and Muslims are violent." Your prejudices don't allow you to see evidence against your prejudices (Hakim 2020). Second, the presentation of evidence would, likely, make you more extreme and more dogmatic (Lord 1979).…”

Impact of celebrity disclosure on mental health-related stigma

“…people with mental health conditions) is separated into subgroups where some are thought to confirm with the stereotype (here; ‘ordinary’ people) whereas others are considered atypical and exempt from judgement (here; celebrities) (Bott and Murphy, 2007). Promoting acceptance and inclusion by focusing only on the atypical subgroup can counterintuitively perpetuate or even increase negative stereotyping, as it does not challenge the negative perceptions of the group as a whole (Hakim et al ., 2020). Source credibility and authenticity is another key factor regarding the influence of celebrity disclosure.…”