Myriad political, social, and economic contexts contribute toward Islamophobia and consequent normalization of anti-Muslim racism in various parts of the world. Simultaneous to the rise in global Islamophobia is the rise of right-wing populism, especially in Western nations. Whether it is in the form of right-wing political parties in Europe, Trumpism in the United States, concentration camps for Uighurs in China, the genocide of the Rohingya in Myanmar, or the Hindutva movement in India, Muslims are perceived by the state and the public as security, political, or economic threats. The widespread scapegoating of Muslims in so many parts of the world warrants a global analysis currently lacking in the academic discourse.
Professor Aziz’s lecture explores the political, social, and legal factors in North America, Europe, and Asia in nations where Islamophobia has reached systemic levels to understand Islamophobia as an entrenched international human rights issue, as opposed to an isolated temporal social problem. The lecture is based on the book Global Islamophobia in an Era of Populism, co-edited by Sahar Aziz and John L. Esposito and forthcoming with Oxford University Press
