Exploring Experiences of Muslim Students in Germany: Empirical Insights on School-Based Religious Discrimination

Abstract

Mass influx of Muslim refugees in Germany has reported a parallel rise in “Islamophobia” in the country, which includes systematic “othering” of Muslims. Muslim school-going students, who constitute for a significant proportion of the migrant population in Germany, cannot be isolated while addressing issues of discrimination and exclusion. As societal anti-Muslim rhetoric spill over into classrooms, playgrounds and schools; minority students become particularly vulnerable to religious bullying. This research study aims to empirically understand the lived experiences, realities and challenges of a Muslim student (10–18 years) attending a German public school. Using a purposive snowball sampling, 16 students and 5 parent participants from Munich were interviewed. Qualitative findings, derived from theoretical coding of data, contributed to the conceptualization of a unique model of school-based religious discrimination. The model, based on the narratives of the study participants, details upon the possible locations, sources, types and effects of religious bullying on Muslim migrant students.