A Note on the Interaction between Identity Based Fear and Hate

Abstract

I model the interaction between the fear experienced by the indigenous population and the hatred felt by certain visible minorities such as Muslims within the context of a strategic non-cooperative game where identity plays a crucial role. The indigenous population is represented by the state or government reflecting the views of the median voter; the formation of dissident behaviour by minorities involves co-opting individuals to act in group interests. An increase in government militancy results from an increase in the vote bank of confrontative populist politicians relying on the supply of repetitive hate-creating stories. A rise in the intrinsic motivation to fight the state by dissidents arises because of the loss in domestic social standing, or the relationship to events in the Muslim world. Space needs to be created so that most Muslim migrants are able to position their personal identities within their adopted European homelands. Economic and social discrimination against Muslims also needs to be addressed.