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ISLAMOPHOBIA and its origins. Henk Dekker Leiden University Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences Political Science department Lecture Excellent University Project Comenius University Bratislava 18 January 2008. Question:. How can we explain Islamophobia? . Relevance.
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ISLAMOPHOBIA and its origins Henk Dekker Leiden University Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences Political Science department Lecture Excellent University Project Comenius University Bratislava 18 January 2008
Question: How can we explain Islamophobia?
Relevance • Societal relevance • Scientific relevance • Muslims report more exclusion, discrimination, violence (EUMC).Public Opinion polls: • Negative attitudes • Fear Why? • Negative relationships will have a negative impact on social and political cohesion
Attitude & Theories • Attitude: • The amount of affect for or against some object (Azjen and Fishbein, 1975) • Theories: • Direct Contact • Socialization • Inference • Realistic Group Conflict Theory • Social Identity Theory
Sample & Methods • 581 respondents • Aged 14-16 • 3 educational levels • Areas with different degrees of ‘Muslim density’ • Data collection: March-April 2006 • Methods: • multiple regression analysis • Path-analysis
Attitude towards the Islam and Muslims • Scale: 7 items (Cronbach’s alpha = .91) • General feeling Islam, Turks, Moroccans; • Trust Turks and Moroccans; • Favourability Turkish and Moroccan neighbours • Descriptives:
Explanation: regression analysis • Predictors attitude towards the Islam and Muslims: • Evaluation of direct contact • Perceived symbolic threat • Perceived attitude personal socializers • Positive beliefs • National identification • Gender • Religiosity • Explained variance: 71.5 percent
Conclusion • Explanations of Islamophobia: • Main predictors: Direct contact, socialization, symbolic threat • Secondary: Positive beliefs, national attitude • Rejected hypotheses: • socialization by mass media • low level of knowledge; • negative emotions; • low self-esteem;
Future research • Cross-national design • Longitudinal or panel design • Improved measurement of emotions, beliefs and knowledge • Other socializers: teachers, textbooks, politicians