Xenophobia and Islamophobia in Europe

Are anti-Muslim attitudes becoming the spectre that is haunting Europe? Is Islamophobia as widespread and virulent as is made out? Or do some EU societies appear more prejudiced than others? To what extent are European fears about unmanaged immigration the basis for scapegoating Muslim communities? And is there an anti-elitest dimension to Europeans' protest about rapid demographic change occurring in their countries?This cross-national analysis of Islamophobia looks at these questions in an innovative, even-handed way, steering clear of politically-correct clichs and stereotypes. It cautions that Islamophobia is a serious threat to European values and norms, and must be tackled by future immigration and integration policy.Key Features:* First comprehensive study of Islamophobic attitudes in Europe: traces their origins and identifies their consequences* Comparative analysis of the roots of European xenophobia and its destructive consequence in the rise and spread of anti-Muslim attitudes* Explores the growing opposition to immigration across Europe, with a special focus on the cases of France and Germany* Textbook features include tables of comparative data and side bars illustrating key issuesKeywords:Europe, Islam, Muslims, Immigration, Xenophobia, Prejudice, Multiculturalism, Integration

Raymond Taras is Professor of Political Science at the Tulane University.