The New Crusades: Islamophobia and the Global War on Muslims

Legal scholar Beydoun (Univ. of Arkansas-Fayetteville Sch. of Law; American Islamophobia) argues that Islamophobia is a pervasive, global phenomenon that’s based on racism. His argument is supported by an abundance of stories based on personal experiences of Muslims in different parts of the world. These stories were gathered through questionnaires, interviews, and virtual conferencing. He uses the word “crusades” to connect historic conflicts from the 11th through the 13th centuries with current political and cultural conflicts across nations. The book addresses Beydoun’s own encounters with Islamophobia and discusses how the United States’ “war on terror” developed into a war on all Muslims and fueled oppression of Muslims in places like India, China, Myanmar, and France. The final two chapters discuss the horrific 2019 attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s response to affirm Muslims as she condemned the attacks.