Islamophobia, Victimisation and The Veil

This book examines the experiences of veiled Muslim women as victims of Islamophobia, and the impact of this victimisation upon women, their families and wider Muslim communities. Based on empirical research, it explores the vulnerability of veiled Muslim women to acts of Islamophobic hate and prejudice in public places.

Zempi and Chakraborti examine how Islamophobic victimisation is experienced as 'part and parcel' of wearing the veil, rather than as isolated one-off incidents, and how repeat incidents of supposedly low-level forms of hostility such as name-calling, persistent staring and other types of intimidatory behaviour place a potentially huge emotional burden on victims. The threat of Islamophobic abuse and violence has long-lasting effects for both actual and potential victims, underlining the case for a more effective approach to engaging with veiled Muslim women as victims of Islamophobia; one which recognises their multiple vulnerabilities and which takes into consideration their distinct cultural and religious needs.

Islamophobia, Victimisation and the Veil provides a timely insight into an under-researched and challenging set of issues, and will be essential reading for students, academics and practitioners working across a range of disciplines including Criminology, Sociology, Victimology and Gender Studies.

Irene Zempi is a University Tutor and PhD student at the Department of Criminology, University of Leicester, UK. She is also a member of the Advisory Committee for the Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks Project organised by Faith Matters, a non-profit organisation which hopes to show the scale of the problem of Islamophobia and provide support for victims.

Neil Chakraborti is a Reader in Criminology at the University of Leicester, UK and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Ontario, Canada. He has researched and published widely within the fields of hate crime, victimisation and policing diversity, and is Director of the Leicester Centre for Hate Studies.

Introduction
1.Constructions of Islam, Gender and the Veil
2.Unveiling Islamophobic Victimisation
3.Researching Islamophobia and the Veil
4.Uncovering Islamophobic Victimisation
5.Impact of Islamophobic Victimisation
6.Conclusions and Reflections