Abhishek G BhayaAs anti-Muslim hatred spreads across continents, experts warn that Islamophobia, a modern-day manifestation of racism, is not just a Muslim issue but a crisis threatening the foundations of democracy, human rights, and pluralism.
International experts on Sunday issued a clarion call for urgent global action against what they described as a rapidly worsening phenomenon – at a session titled ‘Confronting Discrimination and Racism in the 21st Century’ on the concluding day of the fourth Antalya Diplomacy Forum at the Turkish Mediterranean resort city.
"The more we pursue inclusive societies, the more discrimination manifests itself," said Evren Dagdelen Akgun, Special Representative for Combating Intolerance and Discrimination Against Muslims, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Citing data from the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, she highlighted that one out of every two Muslims in Europe faces daily discrimination, if not harassment.
“Treating the symptoms is not going to get us to cohesive societies,” she warned. "Anti-Muslim hatred is real, and by whatever name we call it, it is a form of racism."
Akgun pointed to a vicious cycle in which racism and Islamophobia infiltrate democratic institutions, eroding representation, freedoms, and equality. This disenfranchisement, in turn, undermines the legitimacy of democracy itself, making it harder to counter these trends effectively.
"If coupled with rhetoric that perpetuates and normalises hatred, impunity is going to constantly put us in a loop of anti-Muslim discourse and acts," she noted.
The report highlights systemic anti-Muslim racism across Europe, citing discriminatory laws, hate crimes, and the erosion of rights, while urging immediate action to address these injustices.
‘Not just a Muslim issue; it’s a human rights issue’
Ambassador Mehmet Pacaci, Special Representative of the Secretary General to Combat Islamophobia, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), painted a global picture of the crisis.
“Despite significant strides made through human rights movements and legal reforms, racism and discrimination continue to manifest in evolving forms,” he said. He described modern racism as "deeply embedded within political, economic and social structures."
Pacaci listed harrowing statistics: in the United States, nearly 9,000 anti-Muslim bias complaints were recorded in 2024—the highest since 1996. In Europe, Islamophobic incidents surged by 43 percent last year, while in Australia and the Far East, harassment has doubled in the past two years, disproportionately affecting women and girls.
“These figures are not mere statistics,” Pacaci said. “They represent real people, mothers, fathers and children who live in fear simply because of their faith.”
He criticised mainstream media for amplifying Islamophobic narratives and conspiracy theories, thereby infiltrating public discourse and policymaking.
“This normalisation of hatred has dire consequences,” he warned. “It erodes social cohesion, the principles of democracy and pluralism… Anti-Muslim racism is not just a Muslim issue; it is a human rights issue.”
Racism in Europe is widespread
Marion Lalisse, the EU coordinator for combating anti-Muslim hatred at the European Commission, echoed these sentiments.
“Democracy, fundamental rights, the rule of law—are too often taken for granted,” she said. “Being a democracy is not a label that you get for good. It’s a label that you win every single day.”
She stressed that racism in Europe is widespread, targeting not only Muslims but also Black people, Roma, Asians, and Jews. “Roma are often the most hated group in our society,” she said, noting that despite their struggles, they are part and parcel of European identity.
Lalisse underscored the importance of acknowledging structural racism, not just interpersonal discrimination. “Racism has evolved from ethnic considerations to cultural and religious ones,” she noted, expressing concern for Muslims worldwide, including in India, China, Myanmar, the US, Canada, Australia, and Europe.
Lalisse also addressed the challenge the European Commission faces in balancing anti-discrimination goals with national sovereignty. While member states retain key powers, she emphasised that the EU’s role is to support—not control—their efforts.
She also addressed the rise of hate in politics and media. A major concern, Lalisse noted, is the media’s role in spreading harmful stereotypes about Muslims and migrants.
“Obviously, you have media who do a good job in documenting hatred, and specifically anti-Muslim hatred or racism, but you have others who play because they know you can earn money out of it, and you can cover Muslims under the specific angle of terrorism and migration, which… leads to social tensions,” she elucidated.
To combat this, the EU is working with journalists, ethical boards, and press councils to raise awareness. Lalisse highlighted EU-supported partnerships like the European Coalition of Cities Against Racism, which includes Istanbul and Antalya, as promising avenues for grassroots change.
Mosque attacks in Europe are on the rise, while 86 percent of anti-Muslim content on Twitter, now X, originates from the US, UK, and India.
Liberal democracies aren’t immune to racism
Salman Sayyid, a professor at the University of Leeds and a leading academic voice on race and postcolonial theory, offered a philosophical yet incisive perspective.
“Islamophobia is not a Western problem. It’s a world problem,” he said.
He argued that while democracy and liberalism are often celebrated as progressive ideals, they are “completely and totally compatible with racism,” which makes it essential to actively shape these systems into genuinely anti-racist and anti-Islamophobic frameworks.
Sayyid highlighted a key paradox of modern racism: “Nobody wants to be called a racist, but they don't mind doing racism,” pointing out how political actors often make grand statements about inclusion while enacting or enabling discriminatory practices.
He underscored that Islamophobia is not merely cultural prejudice or individual bias, but “a political outcome of a political strategy,” used as a tool to redefine the social contract between rulers and the ruled.
“Islamophobia is the way that the contract between rulers and ruled is being rewritten,” he noted, adding that it has transmorphed into a socially acceptable vessel through which all forms of racism can now be channeled.
Sayyid also warned that Islamophobia affects more than just Muslims—its impact extends widely, as seen in policies like Trump’s travel bans that initially targeted Muslims but ended up affecting others, such as “French scientists who are not Muslim.”
Ultimately, he concluded that the fight against Islamophobia is not only a fight for minority rights but “a combat for the future of just societies and the possibility of just societies.”
‘A spectre is haunting Europe and the world…’
Sener Akturk, professor of comparative politics at Koc University, offered key insights into the systemic roots of Islamophobia and its link to unequal representation. He began by paraphrasing a well-known maxim: "A spectre is haunting Europe and the world - and this is the spectre of equality and equal representation."
Akturk argued that much of today’s Islamophobia stems from resistance to the growing demand for real equality—a demand still unmet across Europe and North America. He noted that Muslim populations are significantly underrepresented in politics.
In 26 European countries, Muslims hold only one-third of the parliamentary seats proportional to their population.
In France, despite having Europe's largest Muslim population, the national assembly has just a handful of Muslim members—far fewer than the 40 it would have under fair representation.
More than numbers, Akturk stressed the problem of “substantive representation” – many elected Muslims do not genuinely represent their communities' concerns.
He also challenged the "native versus immigrant" divide used to marginalise Muslims, many of whom have lived in Europe for generations. Citing the historic Muslim presence in Spain, Portugal, and Sicily, he argued that framing Europe as a "Christian continent" erases its rich, multi-religious past.
Akturk concluded by urging a shift in the way identity is discussed. The real issue, he said, is not ancestry but ensuring that “all people, regardless of religion or heritage, are treated with equal dignity and have equal access to rights and representation.”
‘Multiculturalism is necessary’
Most panelists agreed that multiculturalism offers not just a framework for coexistence but a vital tool in combating Islamophobia, racism, and discrimination.
As Sayyid pointed out, the case for multiculturalism has often been lost in today’s reactive climate. “We need to make the case again for why it is important for us to be multicultural,” he argued, stressing that multiculturalism is not only virtuous but necessary.
In his words, “Newness comes out of contact with strangeness, and we only become more creative when we encounter diversity.”
OSCE’s Akgun, meanwhile, noted: “The term 'multiculturalism' has been with us for a long time… it is here to stay.”
Together, these perspectives reinforce that embracing multiculturalism is not merely a social ideal but a strategic and cultural imperative in building more just, secure, and dynamic societies.
The conversation at Antalya offered a roadmap forward: recognising anti-Muslim hate as racism; holding media and political actors accountable for hate speech; supporting grassroots initiatives to build inclusive societies; and championing multiculturalism not as a threat but as a solution.
As Pacaci summed up: “This is a challenge that threatens the dignity and security of all marginalised groups. We must act, not only for Muslims—but for all of humanity.”
