Anti-Muslim prejudice was deliberately deployed by elites at specific political moments.

Evidence

Such a long view allows us to see that the image of Muslims and Islam in Europe has gone through a series of shifts and changes that corresponded to changes in the political and social realms. Thus, contrary to the idea that the East-West relationship has always been characterized by conflict or a “clash of civilizations,” I show that anti-Muslim prejudice was consciously constructed and deployed by the ruling elite at particular moments. While ordinary people in Europe did accept these ideas, for instance during the Crusades, they have also resisted them. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 25

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The politique des races included campaigns against Muslim religious elites.; OAS targeted elite Muslims to force reliance on the Europeans — Horne, Alistair, A Savage War of Peace- Algeria 1954-1962, 1575; Most people harboring anti-Muslim prejudice act from ignorance rather than malice. — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 690 (+12 more)

Broader Connections

• Elites mobilized Islamophobia to advance their political agendas across centuries #expands (0.85) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 98
• Islamophobia is produced by state action, not only cultural bias #expands (0.80)