The conference at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) – Global Histories and Practices of Islamophobia – began with a resounding message to build solidarity in the global fight against Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination, bigotry and racism.
In response to the growing global apprehension surrounding the surge in anti-Muslim bias and hate-related incidents, the conference is examining Islamophobia and its rampant discourse in political, social, educational, and other contexts.
In his opening keynote speech, World for All Foundation founder, HE Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, said we create isms and phobias for every difference.
We dress it up as an anxiety of the unknown, activating the surveillance state, sophisticating punishments at every event, and perfecting the policies of immigration, as if they are normal laws that we need to implement.
All of those things have morphed into what today can only be described as mainstream extremism.
He added that when you call it a fear, a phobia, you place the burden on the victim. It is a double burden, to survive discrimination and to prove that they are not so fearful.
Speaking about the contemporary situation, the ambassador said that the ‘Muslim other’ in today’s world has special treatment because almost 10% of every Western country is composed of the ‘other’.
There is no longer any mono-cultural phenomenon in the West; 25% of the Muslim community globally find themselves in conditions of being a minority. He said that Islamophobia is no longer a Western phenomenon.
It has taken root where there are Muslim minorities in India, China, Myanmar, and other places. Whether in the West or the East, they are confronted with all manners of populism and mainstream extremisms.
Drawing lessons from South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle, he spoke on the need for solidarity in the fight against all forms of bigotry, a solidarity that transcends religion, race and ethnicity, and to find common cause.
He said that the heroes we need today are those who can find the anti-human in the anti-Muslim. Those who can avoid the temptation to Muslim exceptionalism so that we can build bridges with other victims as well while resisting the Islamophobia against them; those who can recognise common pain, common empathy and common cause with other victims and not denigrate, by duplication, their suffering as Blacks, Latinos or as other victims of bigotry and domination; and who can build, out of sheer pain, a mighty solidarity.
Responding to questions about the role of diplomacy and sport in confronting Islamophobia, HE Ambassador Rasool said that public diplomacy, of the kind that Qatar showcased through the FIFA World Cup 2022™, has been very effective in combating anti-Islamic sentiment.
Detangling the contradictory features of Islamophobia
Delivering the welcoming remarks, GU-Q History Associate Professor Dr Abdullah Al-Arian said that Islamophobia continues to exhibit disturbing and destructive features that are both globalised and at the same time deeply rooted in local beliefs and practices emerging out of historical and lived experiences.
He said that the conference aims to detangle these seemingly contradictory features of the Islamophobia phenomenon, examine the impacts these practices have had on populations across the globe, and consider what remedies could be devised to tackle the challenge across multiple spheres.
The conference also features leading scholars and academics exploring the dynamics that now drive contemporary Islamophobic practices and their global connections. Alongside the sessions, public workshops and a GUQ student-led forum also explore appropriate responses to help stem the spread of Islamophobia on university campuses.
For more details, visit hiwaraat.qatar.georgetown.edu.
Check out Marhaba’s FREE e-Guides for everything you need to know about Qatar.