Islamophobia in Everyday Racial Encounters in Barcelona: The Emotional Impact on Maghrebi Communities in Spain

Abstract

This article explores Islamophobia in everyday racial encounters in Barcelona and its emotional impact on Maghrebi communities in Spain. The rejection of Maghrebi individuals—primarily from Morocco—remains a persistent form of racism and anti-Muslim sentiment in the Spanish context. This racialization process relies on visible and stereotypical markers that reproduce colonial and essentialist representations of the “Moor.” Drawing on 26 in-depth interviews with racialized youth (both Muslim and non-Muslim), the study analyses how daily experiences of Islamophobia in public and shared urban spaces shape emotional responses. These range from discomfort and fear to resilience, agency, and resistance. The findings highlight how intersecting systems of power—race, gender, and religion—structure emotional experiences and access to public space in Barcelona. Ultimately, this research underscores the importance of lived experience in exposing and challenging structural Islamophobia and racism in Spain, contributing to broader debates on racialization, urban exclusion, and the emotional dimensions of everyday discrimination.