Naming Islamophobia shifted the burden of justification onto anti-Muslim actors.

Evidence

The word frightened them. And rightfully so. Instead of debating on their terms, the word “Islamophobia,” and its accompanying theory and lexicon, turned the tables. The finger was now pointed at them, as it had been with the two agents in Kenya. They were now required to explain instead of merely indict; to justify instead of judge. Islamophobia, as concept and analytical tool, enabled the unmasking of anti-Muslim bigotry. And perhaps, one day, the unmaking of that bigotry and the War on Terror that intensified it to endemic proportions. — Khaled A. Beydoun, The New Crusades_ Islamophobia and the…, 322

Categorization

• DEFINE: Explains the specific analytic work the category ‘Islamophobia’ performs: unmasking rather than merely labeling.
• XREF: Resonates with how critics of the category feel threatened when their assumptions are interrogated. — connects to: Hostile biographies grew more distorted as real Muslim contact receded