The recent terrorist attacks in the United Kingdom, and others across the globe, are designed to sow discontent between communities, to create a “Them Vs Us” mentality, ultimately aiming to tear at the seams of Western society.

To a huge extent, the collective reactions from communities on both sides has been to reject these goals, to reach out to neighbours, to build more cultural bridges.

Nevertheless, and perhaps inevitably, the attacks have fuelled a certain amount of Islamophobia amongst some portions of the population. But to what extent is this fear and suspicion of Islam and the Islamic community finding expression in Ireland?

On the Today with Sean O'Rourke programme, hosted this morning by Cormac Ó' hEadhra, Dr. James Carr, Researcher at University of Limerick and Lecturer at the Department of Sociology, first answered a very direct question from the presenter.

Islamophobia in Ireland. Does it exist?

“Oh, absolutely. I wish I could say otherwise. I have been researching anti-Muslim racism for the last seven or eight years now.”

James Carr is author of Experiences of Islamophobia: Living with Racism in the Neoliberal Era. While researching his book, he engaged with 343 Muslim men and women across Ireland. “What that research pointed out was that one in three, just over 36% of participants, said they experienced anti-Muslim hostility,” said James. “A similar proportion had experienced anti-Muslim discrimination.”

At the moment, it is difficult to know whether Islamophobia is growing in this country, simply because there is an absence of data. Nevertheless, anti-Muslim hostility very definitely exists, with Muslim women particularly being targeted.

“Let me be absolutely clear with this. This is the case where we have young women being assaulted on Dame Street in Dublin, one of them being hospitalised. A woman walking down Abbey Street with a bottle being thrown at her. We have Mosques in Galway, with stones being put through windows. In Limerick, bacon wrapped around verses of the Koran being put through letter boxes.”

James Carr visited 14 towns and cities across Ireland, and has concluded that anti-Muslim hostility is not confined to Dublin, although the majority of Muslim communities in Ireland reside in the capital. Although data is limited, there are certain things we can do without further prompting. For example, according to James Carr, Ireland is one of the few European states with no legislation on hate crime.

But the main thing, James insists, is to recognise that there is a problem.

“Putting our heads in the sand is not going to take the problem away. It’s like any other form of criminal activity, if we don’t wake up and face the fact that it is a reality, then it won’t go away.”

Tackling stereotypes is also a major issue. Contrary to the opinions of many, including some texters to the show, the Muslim community, according to James Carr, is well integrated in Ireland, and far less homogenised than many people think.

In terms of policing against hate crime, and engaging with the Islamic Irish community, An Garda Síochána has an inter-cultural unit, which is a good thing, according to James Carr, but like many areas, it needs better resourcing. In 2017, he says, “we are not policing a white, mono-cultural Ireland.”

Experiences of Islamophobia: Living with Racism in the Neoliberal Era has recently been published, authored by Dr. James Carr of the University of Limerick, and you get from from the Today programme with Cormac Ó' hEadhra by clicking here.

Photo credit: ISABEL INFANTES/AFP/Getty Images