Oppose racism — Challenge Islamophobia

George Woods, Education Officer, Sheffield University

The cartoons first published in Denmark and then across Europe reflect a worrying racist trend. Those who saw the issue primarily as one of free speech missed the point that the cartoons were deliberately designed to provoke, offend and whip up hostility against Muslims.

The publication of the cartoons took place in the context of increasing racism across Europe, particularly directed towards Muslims. There is a racist campaign that seeks to portray Islam as uniquely reactionary and incompatible with 'European' values.

The cartoons display crude stereotypes of Muslims and Arabs and include the depiction of the Muslim prophet — and by implication all Muslims — as a terrorist. There are historical precedents for cartoons being used in this way. In the 1930s cartoons were used to whip up racism against Jewish people. Caricatures have also been used as part of dehumanising Black people in order to popularise racist ideas and justify slavery.

In Denmark the specific context includes strong support for the far-right ‘People’s Party.’ With the third largest number of seats in Parliament its influence has led to the introduction of racist measures such as preventing Danes under 24 from marrying non-EU citizens.

Similarly racist legislation has been adopted against Muslims in other European countries following the far-right's growth. France banned the hijab in schools after fascist Jean-Marie Le Pen received six million votes in the last presidential elections.

In Britain, campuses have reflected rising Islamophobia. One example is the report by Anthony Glees, ‘When students turn to terror’, published last year after the 7 July London bombings. This sought to use the unsubstantiated claim that universities were a ‘tipping point’ for terrorism, to call for quotas restricting the number of Black students attending universities and monitoring students' legitimate activities.

Although widely rejected, the report has helped create a climate on some campuses which has seen restrictions on wearing religious dress, Islamic societies closed or prevented from forming and students prevented from distributing the Koran.

Campuses are not immune to the rising racism in society. Whilst freedom of speech is important, it should not be abused to whip up hate.

In recent years, NUS has positively challenged Islamophobia. This should continue, and NUS should place itself at the forefront of student anti-racist campaigning.