Questioning multiculturalism opened a path from policy critique to blaming Muslims

Evidence

Of course, raising questions about multiculturalism is not in itself tantamount to endorsing Islamophobia. Even today, Europeans across the political spectrum believe that multiculturalist policies have generally not succeeded in building bridges between Muslim minority communities and the majority population, though there is plenty of disagreement about why these policies have failed and whether they are worth revamping. However, once it became politically and culturally permissible to question the efficacy of multiculturalist policies, the door was opened for some in the majority population, including prominent politicians, to blame Muslims for most social ills and to question whether the dominant culture should tolerate a segment of the population that adhered to a backward, intolerant religion. The Rushdie Affair was thus a catalyst that generated the conditions in which first multiculturalism and then Islamophobia became such politically and culturally divisive issues in Britain, if not Europe. — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 360

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Perceived Muslim rejection of secularism eroded European faith in multiculturalism — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 359; Enlightenment reason is used as a stick against Muslims in multicultural states; Modern racism against Muslims persists through more polite, euphemistic policy language — Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Global…, 749 (+12 more)

Broader Connections

• Modern racism against Muslims persists through more polite, euphemistic policy language #corroborates (0.75) — Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Global…, 749
• Criticism that endangers Muslim safety crosses into Islamophobia. #qualifies (0.60) — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 80
• Enlightenment reason is used as a stick against Muslims in multicultural states #corroborates (0.55)
• Cultural practices become racialized when they are essentialized as innate to Muslims #expands (0.50) — Saher Selod, Forever Suspect_ Racialized…, 274
• Cultural racism targets Muslims’ beliefs and traditions as if they were inherited essence. #corroborates (0.50)