UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 14 DECEMBER 2016
Dr Imran Awan, Associate Professor in Criminology at Birmingham City University, this week joined the Home Affairs Committee in Parliament for an evidence session on Islamophobia as part of the government’s ongoing inquiry into hate crime.
Dr Awan was invited as an expert to give evidence regarding his research on Islamophobic cyber hate speech.
Research carried out by Dr Awan examined 100 different Facebook pages, posts and comments and uncovered nearly 500 instances of anti-Muslim hate speech.
The research found that there were five recurring ways in which Muslims were portrayed during abuse - which Dr Awan defines as ‘the five walls of Islamophobic hate’. They are: Muslims are terrorists; Muslims are rapists; Muslim women are a security threat; A war exists between Muslims and ‘us’; Muslims should be deported.
"Social media companies must do more to tackle hate speech”, said Dr Awan.
Dr Awan provided a list of recommendations for the inquiry which he hopes will be used and implemented in new guidelines regarding online Islamophobic hate.