Young Canadian Muslims: Islamophobia and Higher Education

Abstract

This study examined Islamophobia in Canadian higher education through the accounts of eight Muslim students in Canadian universities. Qualitative semi-structured interviewing was utilized to investigate how Muslim students report being perceived by faculty, non-Muslim peers, and student service providers. Analysis of interview data yielded six major themes: (1) difficulty in requesting religious accommodations, (2) soft bigotry through low expectations, (3) misrepresentations of Islam in mass media, (4) defensive posturing to combat anti-Muslim sentiment, (5) public emboldening of overt Islamophobia, and (6) resisting and challenging Islamophobic sentiments. The findings of this research indicate that Muslim students experience feelings of marginalization and alienation within higher educational institutions. The respondents articulated the burden of responsibility to take an active role in combatting Islamophobia.