Measuring islamophobia

Muslim communities in Ireland are rich in their diversity. Growing since the 1950s and 1960s, today the Irish population includes second and third generation Irish Muslims as well as members newer to the communities, representing at least fourteen different nationalities in all (Flynn 2006, p.224; National Consultative Committee on Racism and Inter-culturalism 2007, p.1). Members of Muslim communities are currently more vulnerable to prejudice and discrimination than before (European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia 2006, p.60; Marsh and Keating 2006, p.315). This sentiment can be described as Islamophobia: a form of racism specific to members of Muslim communities, reinforced by stereotypical negative images of Muslims (National Consultative Committee on Racism and Inter-culturalism 2007a, p.7). This research evaluates whether or not hate crime and discrimination against Muslims (islamophobia), is being captured by the current practices of recording and reporting such events through the bodies identified by the National Action Plan Against Racism (NPAR) to monitor and analyse data on racism in Ireland (Department of Justice Equality and Law Reform (Ireland) 2005, p.79).