Addressing Islamophobia Creatively in the Classroom

Abstract

This paper explores Islamophobia and how it manifests in the form of hate speech and hate crimes. It examines how “othering” those from the Middle East and those who practice Islam has become normalized by journalists and government leaders to the extent that basic human rights are being restricted by this practice. The paper argues that the carefully engineered ‘war on terror’ is a government construction to justify the massacre of over one million Afghans, Iraqis and Pakistanis. Given the growing racism directed at all those from the Arab world, this paper puts forward suggestions on how Islamophobia can be deconstructed in the classroom using critical peace education and higher order learning. The paper concludes by suggesting some pedagogical approaches to enhance critical media skills and to encourage students to stand up against this pervasive racism.