Islamophobia Watch

Islamophobia Watch is a website initiated in January 2005 as a non-profit project to document material in the public domain which, according to Islamophobia Watch, advocates fear and hatred of Muslims around the world and Islam as a religion. [ [http://www.enar-eu.org/en/national/eu/Islamophobia_in_Europe_2005.pdf Islamophobia in Europe] (2005) European Network Against Racism Shadow Report] [ [http://www.pij.org/details.php?id=342 Islamophobia: Meaning, Manifestations, Causes] (2005) Dr. Mustafa Abu Sway. Palestine-Israel Journal of Politics, Economics, and Culture Vol 12, Issue 2,3.]

According to Islamophobia Watch:

"Islamophobia Watch has been founded with a determination not to allow the racist ideology of Western Imperialism to gain common currency in its demonisation of Islam. Islamophobia, as a racist tool of Western Imperialism, is strongly advocated by the political right but has also found an echo in the left, particularly sections of the left in France and the countries that make up the United Kingdom. Islamophobia Watch will regularly report opinion columns and news items which match the editorial brief of the website, both articles that we believe advocate Islamophobia and those writers and organisations taking a stand against Islamophobia." [http://www.islamophobia-watch.com/about-us/]

The website was set up by two non-Muslim socialists, Eddie Truman and Bob Pitt. Truman was at that time press officer for the Scottish Socialist Party group at the Scottish Parliament, and Bob Pitt worked as a researcher in the office of the then London mayor, Ken Livingstone. Most of the posts now appear under the name of Martin Sullivan, which is rumoured to be a pseudonym.

Features

Islamophobia Watch is described in the paper "Cyber-Islamophobia? The case of WikiIslam" as representing Muslim efforts against Islamophobic discourse on the Internet.Larsson, Göran (2007). " [http://www.springerlink.com/content/p02g0g86387j4t62/ Cyber-Islamophobia? The case of WikiIslam] ", Journal: Contemporary Islam, publisher Springer Netherlands, ISSN 1872-0218 (Print) 1872-0226] Its homepage contains information about outbursts of anti-Muslim opinion expressed in modern society. Discussion including issues relating to "anti-Muslim opinions related to the veil, the London bombings, leftist groups, liberalists, multiculturalism, secularism, right-wing extremism and so-called women’s issues" are presented in detail. The homepage also provides specific information about various authors, including Tariq Ramadan, Yusuf Qardawi, Oriana Fallaci, and Daniel Pipes. It also possesses a "News Digest" which provides readers with coverage of "the top issues in the media relating to Islamophobia and racism in the UK."

upport

Islamophobia Watch has been welcomed by sections of the Muslim community, who see it as a useful resource in combating anti-Muslim bigotry. It received an honourable mention in the "Best Non-Muslim Blog" category in the 2005 Brass Crescent Awards. [ [http://www.brasscrescent.org/2005.php Brass Crescent Awards 2005] ]

Criticism

Johann Hari, a journalist for "The Independent", has criticised the use of the term Islamophobia by Islamophobia Watch to attack him and others. He writes: "If Muslim women and Muslim men are going to have any kind of decent life, the [muslim] liberals need to receive solidarity and support – but slap-dash charges of Islamophobia intimidate people who could offer it" ... "While Islamophobia Watch talk about defending Muslims, they end up defending the nastiest and most right-wing part of the Muslim community – the ones who are oppressing and killing the rest." [ [http://www.johannhari.com/archive/article.php?id=897 Don't call me an Islamophobe] , Johann Hari, "Attitude magazine", June 6, 2006]

References

External links

* [http://www.islamophobia-watch.com Official site]