Segmenting anti-Muslim sentiment in Australia: Insights for the diverse project of countering Islamophobia

Abstract

Islamophobia is a global issue. Our nationwide survey of Australians, undertaken in 2015 and 2016, reveals the extent of this national calamity in Australia. But Islamophobia is not universal in its manifestation. Latent Class Analysis was used to develop a typology of Islamophobia in Australia. The results place Australians in four classes based on their perception of Islam: Islamophobes (13% of the population); those who are unsure about diversity and have some concerns about Muslims (24%), those with progressive attitudes about diversity but with concerns about Muslims (50%); and progressives who have no concerns about Muslims (13%). We offer a conceptual challenge to those who assert that there is a singular, legitimate approach to challenging Islamophobia. Our analysis offers a pragmatic enablement of the diverse work of those anti-racist practitioners who undertake the day-to-day work of challenging Islamophobia in our schools, workplaces, community and recreation venues.