Islamophobia in Italy
Islamophobia is characterized by a hatred against the religion of Islam and those perceived to be following the religion, typically fueled by fear and hatred and sustained through the evolving stereotype of the Muslim identity. It has become increasingly common and widespread throughout the world, in particular since the September 11 attacks in the United States, however it existed in society before this. In Europe, there has been an increase in cultural tensions between national majorities and marginalized Muslim countries, as shown by the results of the 2009 elections in the European Parliament with a large vote toward anti-immigration. Within Italy, there is a large Islamic presence of approximately 1.25 million people, stemming from the widespread migration and settlement that began in the 1970s, in particular from North Africa. The Islamic population of Italy increasingly faces challenges when it comes to their position in society, with the increasing cultural hostility that stems from the growing presence of Islamophobia. Islamophobia has been present within Italy for many years; for example, in the 1920s, Muslims were not permitted to settle in the country due to their religion being viewed as "against common morality." The intensity of Islamophobia in Italy is enhanced by the historical religious structure of the state – which is heavily based on the Catholic Church. Definition There is no official legal or social definition for Islamophobia; however, it can be defined as a "form of racial prejudice", especially as a political force, and "manifests as a distorted simplification of Islam and the Muslim world". Almost a quarter of the world's population identify as Muslim, making it an extremely prevalent religion. Furthermore, Islamophobia often overlaps with other forms of discrimination and religious bias, making it difficult to recognize. Islam in Italy Prevalence There was a large Muslim presence in Italy from 827 until the 12th century. According to a 2011 Pew Research Center projection and Brookings, there are approximately 1,400,000 Muslims in Italy, about 2.5% of the Italian population. Theories There are multiple sources of anti-Islamic prejudices, with reasoning often being based on "race, ethnicity, cultural differences, socio-economics". Despite the September 11 attacks on the United States immensely enhancing and propelling the prevalence of Islamophobia, the sentiments of anti-Islamic thought have existed well prior to this, in part due to the perceived lack of integration of Muslim migrants in Europe. A discussion in contemporary literature focuses on the concept that Islamophobia is becoming institutionalized, rather than individuals acting on their own. There is yet another source of anti-Islamic racism, which stems from an Islamophobic intolerance by Italian Catholics who espouse Christianity. The Cardinal of Bologna, Giacomo Biffi, also claimed that Europe should go back to its Christian origins in order to resist the "ideological assault of Islam." Further, Biffi states that he considers Muslims as a threat to Italian cultural identity and as posing legal and social problems. Contributions Islamophobia has existed around the world for an extensive time as well as within Italy; however, it has become increasingly prevalent