Abstract
In the latter months of 2014, following events in faraway Iraq and Syria, Australia responded forcefully at home. The manufactured fear of a terrorist attack resulted in police raids, increased counter-terrorism legislation and scare campaigns to alert the public to 'threat'. Although Islamophobia rose in Australia after 2001 it has been latent in recent years. It is on the rise again with collateral damage from government measures including verbal and physical attacks on Australian Muslims. Vitriol is also directed at asylum seekers and refugees. Media, government and community discourses converge to promote Islam as dangerous and deviant.
Highlights
Keywords Islamophobia; counter-terrorism; police raids; racism; asylum seekers; media. It took just one month of 2014 for Islamophobia to become fully institutionalised in Australia
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that the incident revealed that some Australians are capable ‘of very extreme acts’; the label ‘refugee’ was applied by tabloids; and the public acquiesced unquestioningly, for one such death is one less person to fear
New counter-terrorism legislation has been introduced in Parliament making it illegal to visit some parts of the world without proving to a court that the visit is for family or humanitarian reasons
Summary
It took just one month of 2014 for Islamophobia to become fully institutionalised in Australia. Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that the incident revealed that some Australians are capable ‘of very extreme acts’; the label ‘refugee’ was applied by tabloids; and the public acquiesced unquestioningly, for one such death is one less person to fear. Alongside these events, new counter-terrorism legislation has been introduced in Parliament making it illegal to visit some parts of the world without proving to a court that the visit is for family or humanitarian reasons. Hate engendered by the attacks in the US in 2001 has continually festered but ongoing fear and opportunism has allowed it to be unrestrained in government, media and public discourse
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
