Islamophobia on Long Island: Middle East Conflict’s Impact on Muslim Youth Research Survey and Results
The Asian American Institute for Research and Engagement (AAIRE) released a short summary of findings from a study of Islamophobia experienced by the teenage population on Long Island. Results stem from a survey that was out in the field for two weeks with 166 respondents, as well as 25 person-to-person interviews conducted by the organization, investigating the personal experiences of middle and high school- aged Muslims in regards to Islamophobia. AAIRE started this project following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East in October 2023 and the ensuing national and global rise in reports of Islamophobic discrimination. These effects were not found just “elsewhere”, but in front of us: in our schools, workplaces, communities, media feeds, and personal lives. Previously, in a national survey conducted by AAIRE in late 2022, AAIRE found that more than half (54%) of Muslims in America reported experiencing a hate crime, hate speech, or discrimination because of their religion. Present survey results echo these findings.
Key findings include:
Two out of three teenaged respondents (62%) felt that fellow classmates had made biased remarks towards Muslims or Islam.
50% of the surveyed respondents felt silenced in their classrooms around issues surrounding the Middle East and ensuing discrimination
43% of respondents felt as if they had no trusted authority figures to confide in regarding their feelings and experience.
Qualitative results and interview findings paint a picture of powerlessness, isolation, bullying, punishment for self-expression or showing support for all sides of the conflict, and fears around looking “visibly Muslim”, such as wearing hijab.
AAIRE is committed against discrimination of all kinds, with particular attention to the Asian American community, which has overlap with the Muslim communities in Long Island. Research was conducted to better inform and change our conversations around Islamophobia going forward. The survey and qualitative interview results alongside outside research demonstrate an urgency to combat Muslim discrimination and reveal the scope of the problem of Islamophobia in Long Island.
For the full in-depth copy of the results or a presentation of the survey results, please email info@asianamericaninstitute.com.