Liberal-reformist Islamophobia remains imperial racism cloaked in benevolence

Evidence

The Obama era therefore came to be characterized by a shift to liberal imperialism and liberal Islamophobia. The key characteristics of liberal Islamophobia in the Obama era were the rejection of the “clash of civilizations” thesis, the elevation of “good Muslims” both domestically and internationally, and a concomitant willingness to work with “moderate” (or pro-American) Islamists. While Orientalists like Lewis and his neocon associates view the culture of Islam as backward and as instrumental in fomenting political violence, liberals differentiate between the mass of Muslims and “extremists.” They view the latter as driven by a totalitarian ideology. Liberal Islamophobia may be rhetorically gentler than conservative Islamophobia, but it is nonetheless imperial racism in that it takes for granted the “white man’s burden.” It doesn’t occur to the likes of Nye, Albright, and Haass that it is for ordinary people in the Middle East and Central/South Asia to make decisions about their societies. As noted in Chapter 3, this belief that the United States can and should shape the destinies of other nations is a central frame in the ideology of anti- Muslim racism. Self-determination does not enter their framework—and “benevolent supremacy” remains unquestioned. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 500

Categorization

• XREF: Sharply corroborates the Aziz/Razack/Rana cluster distinction between overt and benign imperial Islamophobia; also parallels the good-Muslim/bad-Muslim taxonomy central to the vault. — connects to: Liberal Islamophobia includes Muslims only on imperial terms — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of…, 89; Right-wing and liberal Islamophobia both serve imperial racism through exclusion and conditional inclusion.; Liberal societies displace their imperial violence onto Muslims’ supposed inherent nature. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of…, 355 (+14 more)
• SEED: Angle: ‘benevolent supremacy’ as the liberal variant of imperial racism — how self-determination is silently erased from reformist policy talk.

Broader Connections

• Liberal Islamophobia is racist and imperialist despite its gentler rhetoric #corroborates (0.98) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 430
• Liberal rhetoric can mask imperial racism as benevolence #corroborates (0.95)
• Liberal rejection of open Islamophobia masks the same racializing policies #corroborates (0.92) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 622
• Liberal Islamophobia and right-wing racism are interchangeable imperial instruments #expands (0.90) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 544
• Liberal Islamophobia rejects blatant rhetoric while instituting the same Muslim racialization policies #corroborates (0.90)
• Conservative and liberal Islamophobia are both forms of imperial racism. #expands (0.88)
• Liberal anti-clash rhetoric remains imperial racism assuming US stewardship of Muslim societies #exemplifies (0.82) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 512
• Anti-Muslim racism remains entrenched despite Muslim inclusion in imperial systems #expands (0.80)
• Liberal Islamophobia rejects clash rhetoric yet retains imperial paternalism toward Muslims #exemplifies (0.80) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 512
• Liberal defenses of Muslims framed Islamophobia as intolerance, not empire-linked racism #complicates (0.72)