Richard Stone

Runnymede Trust. Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia

Hugh Muir

The word Islamophobia was first used in print in 1991 and was defined in the 19977 Runnymede Trust report as 'unfounded hostility towards Islam, and therefore fear or dislike of all or most Muslims.' This follow-up report seven years on considers events and trends since 1997 and outlines essential things that still need to be done.This report describes the nature of Islamophobia in modern Britain and the impact of September 11 and the ensuing wars. It stresses that a major challenge is to build constructive ways of airing disagreements and engaging in debate. It looks at four main areas of social, political, and cultural life:recognition of Muslin identities in the census and the legal systemtasks facing schoolscommunity cohesion at street and neighbourhood level andways of affecting media coverageThe book closes by citing the 60 recommendations that were made in the 1997 report and reviewing the progress that has, and has not yet, been made. It contains statistics, arguments, original research, interviews and facts, and a wide range of lively quotations. With its substantial bibliography and long list of useful websites, this is the authoritative publication on the subject of Islamophobia.Islamophobia- issues, challenges and action will be an invaluable practical guide for years to come and will be of interest to a wide range of professionals in education, government, law and the media.Published in collaboration with the Uniting Britain Trust.

Hugh Muir

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