Discrimination and Racism in Society: A Sociological Analysis

This essay delves into the pervasive issue of discrimination and racism faced by Muslims in contemporary society, focusing on the problematic portrayal of Muslims as a monolithic group whose culture is incompatible with human rights and democracy. It employs Intersectionality theory to analyze how religious discrimination, xenophobia, and societal biases intersect to marginalize Muslims. The essay highlights the negative consequences of these prejudices, including limited opportunities in education, employment, and healthcare, as well as the impact on mental health and well-being. It also examines the role of media in perpetuating negative stereotypes, the impact of the Christchurch mosque shooting, and the association of Muslim men with terrorism in the media. By exploring these multifaceted dimensions of discrimination, the essay aims to shed light on the complexities of the issue and promote a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by Muslim communities.

Running head: DICRIMINATION AND RACISM IN THE SOCIETY
MUSLIMS ARE OFTEN PORTRAYED AS A MONOLITHIC GROUP, WHOSE
CULTURE IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY
Name of the Student:
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Author’s Note:

1DICRIMINATION AND RACISM IN THE SOCIETY
Introduction
Discrimination is one of the most important wicked problems that the world is
presently facing and it is seen that it is not just limited to race, ethnicity, skin-colour and
others but extents to religion as well (Roche 2018). According to Allen (2016), presently it is
seen that the people had to face a substantial amount of racism or discrimination on the basis
of the religious faith that they follow. For example, it is seen that the people from the Islamic
religion are being looked upon with suspicion or outsiders in the majority of the Christian
nations or even in the ones like India wherein Hinduism is being followed by the majority of
the people (Yakushko 2018). More importantly, their religious practices or for that matter
their way of life by virtue of the practices that they follow on the basis of their religion is
being viewed as completely radical and thus they are being marginalised or ostracised in the
society (Case 2016).
This essay will take the help of the Intersectionality theory and the ideas that it
propounds regarding discrimination to shed light on the statement “Muslims are often
portrayed as a monolithic group, whose culture is incompatible with human rights and
democracy” and show that this is not true. The portrayal of the Muslims is completely
contradictory to their actual lifestyle and their culture or practices although seems against the
precepts of human rights or democracy are within the bounds of the same. I am personally
interested in the topic because I had an affair with a Muslim guy and through my personal
experience I found that this is not true. I would say that the reason why the Muslims had to
face discrimination is because their religion or the practices followed by them are not being
understood by the common people and thus they had to face discrimination.

2DICRIMINATION AND RACISM IN THE SOCIETY
Intersectionality theory
The term Intersectionality was coined by Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw in the year
1989 and is usually called by the name of Intersectionality feminism (Clegg 2016). Bright,
Malinsky and Thompson (2016) are of the viewpoint that this theory is primary concerned
with the identification of the manner in which the political as well as social discrimination
overlap with the construct of gender. According to Case (2016), this theory takes the help of a
“non-empirical qualitative analytic framework” which in turn takes the help of
“deconstructionist critical theory” to analyse the different forms of discriminations faced by
the individuals within the societal framework. The primary purpose of this is to identify the
manner in which the “interlocking systems of power” in the society (mainly the power held
by the ruling class or the religion which is being followed by the majority of the people in the
developed nation) affect mostly the ones who are marginalised by the same (mainly the
people from different racial or religious backgrounds) (Van der Noll and Saroglou 2015).
More importantly, at the time of the formulation of the theory under discussion here it was
seen that the concerned theory was being used to understand the social stratification on the
basis of race, creed, social status, religion and other aspects and the discrimination that the
people had to face on the basis of the same (Green and Witte 2017). However, in the present
times it is seen that the theory is concerned with the identification of the relationship that
these different forms of discrimination that the individuals have to face within the societal
framework (Ameline, Ndobo and Roussiau 2019). Furthermore, the theory also requires the
individuals and the institutions to take into account the relationship that the different forms of
discrimination share with each and thereby promote political and social equality (Case 2016).
The Intersectionality theory thus becomes an important one from the perspective of the
sociologists and the individuals who wish to analyse discrimination within the contemporary

3DICRIMINATION AND RACISM IN THE SOCIETY
societal framework and also the ones who aim to promote equality within the same (Clegg
2016).
Muslims and Discrimination
Van der Noll et al. (2018) are of the viewpoint that the Muslims on the score of the
religious faith to which they subscribe had to face a great deal of discrimination not only in
terms to religion, the countries that they hail from, the practices that they follow and others.
This can be explained on the basis of the fact that the religion or the religious practices
followed by them are drastically different from the other religions of the world like
Christianity, Hinduism and others and often too drastic in nature (Jefferys 2015). The
resultant effect of this is that they are not only viewed as outsiders in the different first world
nations of the world like Australia, UK, USA and others but also treated with a great deal of
suspicion as well (Hervik 2015). This as a matter of fact is one of the major reasons for the
religious discrimination faced by the Muslims in the different nations of the world. For
example, it is seen that unlike the citizens of the different nations in which the Muslims seek
asylum or abode, the number of educational, employment, healthcare and opportunities that
are available to the Muslims in these nations is very limited (Lindemann and Stolz 2018). To
add to these, the discrimination that the Muslims face in the longer run begins to take a toll
on their emotional or mental faculties which in turn greatly affects their ability to lead a
normal as well as prosperous life in the different host nations. More importantly, this leads to
the ineffective fulfilment of their basic psychosocial needs which in turn once again reduces
the quality of the life that they led and this often makes them turn to different kinds of
offensive or aggressive practices like terrorism, crime and others (Yakushko 2018).
Green and Witte (2017) are of the viewpoint that in addition to the evil of religious
discrimination an important wicked problem that the Muslims had to face in the various first

4DICRIMINATION AND RACISM IN THE SOCIETY
world nations is the problem of xenophobia. In simple terms, the evil of xenophobia can be
defined as the discrimination which is being meted out to the outsiders or the people from the
other nations in the host countries of their abode on the basis of the parent nation to which
they belong (Hervik 2015). In this regard, it needs to be said that there are certain elements of
Anti-Semitism associated with the process of xenophobia (Allen 2016). For example, it had
been seen that the people in the nations of Australia, New Zealand, UK and others are very
proud of their original white-race supremacy or for that matter the race to which they belong
(Hollingsworth 2019). This feeling on the part of the individuals deters them from embracing
the people from the other nations thinking that their race is much inferior to their own one. As
discussed by Van der Noll and Saroglou (2015), in the present times it is seen that the
national identity of the nation to which an individual originally hails from had become an
integral part of their own identity. The end result of this is that if the parent nation of the
individuals has a negative image or faces too many problems then it is likely that the people
who belong to the concerned nations would be treated with suspicion or likewise manner.
This becomes especially important from the perspective of the Muslims and the xenophobia
that they had to face in the different nations of their abode. In this regard, it needs to be said
that the majority of the Muslims of the world hail from the different Islamic nations like
Syria, Iran, Iraq, Bangladesh and others which over the years had faced different kinds of
political turmoil that in turn had greatly affected the stability of their nations (Van der Noll et
al. 2018). Furthermore, it had been seen that the number of terrorist activities committed by
the Muslims in these nations and elsewhere had increased in an exponential manner and this
turn had given rise to the problem of Islamaphobia in the present time (Allen 2016). This in
turn had not only aggravated the problem of discrimination or xenophobia faced by the
Muslims within the societal framework but at the same time had increased the unjust
treatment faced by them as well.

5DICRIMINATION AND RACISM IN THE SOCIETY
A critical analysis of the process of discrimination that the Muslims had to face within
the societal framework of the nations like New Zealand and other developed nation, be it
religious discrimination or xenophobia or others on the basis of the Intersectionality theory is
likely to offer insightful information regarding the same. In this regard, it needs to be said
that one of the most important precepts of the theory under discussion here is the fact that the
political or the social discrimination that the individuals face within the societal framework
overlap with their gender (Bright, Malinsky and Thompson 2016). In the particular context of
the religious discrimination that the Muslims had to face in New Zealand or other nations
inhabited by the white skinned people it is seen that although both men and women are the
equal recipients of the religious discrimination yet the male members had to face more ire of
the society (Hollingsworth 2019). For example, in the face of the ever-increasing number of
terrorist activities committed by the Muslim men and also the negative portrayal that they
have received in the contemporary media had contributed substantially towards this situation
(Stuff.co.nz 2019).
According to Bright, Malinsky and Thompson (2016), because of the negative
portrayal in the media, the majority of the Muslims particularly the men are considered to be
potential terrorists. The end result of this is that they are often being deprived of the
educational, employment and other kinds of growth opportunities which are easily available
to the other individuals. More importantly, the discrimination that the Muslims had to face in
New Zealand and other developed nations is not just limited to the above-mentioned spheres
but they even extent to the manner in which they are being treated in these nations. For
example, in the present times the defence system of nations like New Zealand had become
extra concerned regarding the security of their nations and thus the Muslims are being
subjected to rigorous security checks at the airports, malls, supermarkets and other similar
places (Bbc.com 2019). This might seem as a fairly simple act for the Christians or for that

6DICRIMINATION AND RACISM IN THE SOCIETY
the people related to the other religious faiths yet when considered from the perspective of
the Muslims this becomes a very derogatory one and adversely affects the quality of life that
they led. This as a matter of fact is related to the intersectionality theory in the particular
context of Muslims who had a face not only religious discrimination but also xenophobia
because of the Islamic nations to which they belong.
Muslims considered as Monolithic Entities
Lindemann and Stolz (2018) are of the viewpoint that the Muslims are considered to
be monolithic groups since they are considered as a threat to the western society and their
cultures. As discussed by Green and Witte (2017), it is a state of psychology that leads an
individual to possess an attitude to blame a community whenever an incident of hate occurs
against any community. This tendency to collectively blame the whole community for the
acts of a group shows the wrong approach in punishment. An important example was the
attack on the Muslim community in Christchurch, New Zealand wherein 50 innocent lives
were lost (Stuff.co.nz 2019). The attacker belonged to the community of whites and in the
past had served in Afghanistan and other Islamic nations. It is from there that he developed a
religious intolerance for the Muslim community which ultimately got manifested in the attack
of the Muslim mosque under discussion here (Bbc.com 2019). His tendency to attack the
religious structure and the people belonging to the Muslim community showed that he was
influenced by the religious beliefs prevalent in the society (Hollingsworth 2019). The
inability of the people to understand Islam as a religion and the core values of it is the prime
cause of the racial discrimination and hate crimes against them. They fail to understand that
all the individuals of a particular religion are not responsible for the acts of a few. The social
belief regarding Muslims that they are the ones who are associated with terrorist activities
should be eliminated from the mind of the people residing in the society (Allen 2016). It had

7DICRIMINATION AND RACISM IN THE SOCIETY
been reported by the FBI that the crime rates motivated by racism have increased by 17% in
the year 2017 (Ameline, Ndobo and Roussiau 2019). This figure shows that how intolerant
people have become towards people belonging to other races. It can thus be said that the
incidents faced by the Muslims in the western countries are because of the false beliefs that
are advocated in the society (Jefferys 2015). The people who differ in their religious values,
beliefs, customs, traditions and the way they dress differentiate them from the other
community in the society (Roche 2018). These differences are their unique identity but it
should not differentiate and alienate them from the society. This shows that religion is a
personal belief and that should not serve as a ground to alienate them from the rest of the
society (Van der Noll et al. 2018). However, despite the personal nature of religion it is seen
that the Muslims had to face religious discrimination not only on the basis of the religion that
they follow but also on the basis of their way of life of practices (Green and Witte 2017).
This as a matter of fact confirms the idea propounded by the intersectionality theory which
states that the different forms of discrimination that the individuals face within the societal
framework are interlinked.
The Christchurch incident of New Zealand when viewed through the specific lens of
the Intersectionality theory is likely to reveal insightful information regarding the
misconception of the people related to other religious faiths regarding the Muslims. In this
regard, it needs to be said that the attack under discussion here in a succinct manner
highlights the hatred as well as the misconceptions that the people hold against the Muslims
and the religious faith or practices to that they follow (Bbc.com 2019). For example, the
people are presently considering the microcosmic actions of the individual Muslim as the
general behavioral pattern or for that the entire gamut of the religious practices followed by
the people related to the Islamic religion (Hollingsworth 2019). More importantly, the
national government of the nations like New Zealand, Australia and others rather than trying

8DICRIMINATION AND RACISM IN THE SOCIETY
to change the perception of the people regarding the Muslims or the treatment which is being
meted out to them have enhanced the safety or regulatory measures related to the Muslims
which in a succinct manner confirms the general perception held by the people (Bbc.com
2019). Thus, the national government of the different nations of the world in order to
effectively resolve the issues faced by the Muslims would have to take into account this
aspect. For example, one of the most important aspects of the intersectionality theory is the
fact that it proposes in order to reduce discrimination the authorities would not only have to
analyze the different forms of discriminations that the individuals but also promote equality
for the mitigation of the same (Green and Witte 2017). Therefore, the authorities have to take
the help of the help of the kind of measures or policies which will foster equality or fraternity
among the individuals so as to reduce the extent of discrimination faced by the individuals
within the society.
Conclusion
Thus, it can be summarized from the above discussion that the incidents of Muslims
suffering from the racial crimes are increasing. They are suffering from the time when
terrorist attacks were launched on the western countries by Muslim extremist groups. They
have faced severe and adverse situations due to the activities of the terror outfits. The theories
of subtle, unconscious and statistical discrimination show that the economic conditions of the
people belonging to the Muslim community had witnessed a downfall. The incidents also
show that the people of the community have suffered due to the practices of the extremist
sects. The religion that is related with the extreme concepts actually advocates peace. Thus,
Islam should be viewed as a religion that does not have any inclination towards the extremist
forces and advocates peace and brotherhood in the world. These aspects become apparent
from the above analysis of the same.

9DICRIMINATION AND RACISM IN THE SOCIETY
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