Islamophobia and the Law: Introduction

Abstract

This is an introduction to an edited volume, Islamophobia and the Law. In it we lay out a brief history of the rise of the concept of Islamophobia, a legal definition for it and describe the structure of the book. From the chapter: The volume’s broad coverage examines Islamophobia at the center and also at the margins. The organization of the book allows it to be read serially to get a comprehensive understanding of Islamophobia as it has evolved since 9/11. Alternatively, chapters can be read or assigned individually according to subject matter. In general, the volume is an opening. It is an attempt to collate the important work that has emerged as a field. It seeks to shift our attention to neglected areas of the law and also to and inspire future analysis of Islamophobia within all areas including legal spheres where Islamophobia is thought to be non-germane. It is not exhaustive. Undoubtedly, there are chapters that ought to have been included but for concerns of length could not be. While this is the first multi-author volume addressing Islamophobia and its intimate relationship with the law, we do not expect or anticipate it to be the last. Just as the War on Terror and the rise of populist hate continues to proliferate different forms of Islamophobia, scholars will continue to theorize and suggest ways to understand these phenomena well into the future.