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İslamofobi Endüstrisi
The Islamophobia Industry reflects the rising tide of anti-Muslim feeling sweeping through the United States and Europe.
Lean takes us inside the minds of the manufacturers of Islamophobia – a highly-organized enterprise of conservative bloggers, right-wing talk show hosts, evangelical religious leaders, and politicians, united in their quest to exhume the ghosts of September 11th and convince their compatriots that Islam is the enemy. Lean uncovers their scare tactics, reveals their motives, and exposes the ideologies that drive their propaganda machine.
Situating Islamophobia within a long history of national and international phobias, The Islamophobia Industry unravels the narrative of fear that has long dominated discussions about Muslims and Islam.
Lean takes us inside the minds of the manufacturers of Islamophobia – a highly-organized enterprise of conservative bloggers, right-wing talk show hosts, evangelical religious leaders, and politicians, united in their quest to exhume the ghosts of September 11th and convince their compatriots that Islam is the enemy. Lean uncovers their scare tactics, reveals their motives, and exposes the ideologies that drive their propaganda machine.
Situating Islamophobia within a long history of national and international phobias, The Islamophobia Industry unravels the narrative of fear that has long dominated discussions about Muslims and Islam.
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First published August 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 27, 2013
This is an important addition to the cultural conversation about Islam in America. I follow this conversation with interest, because as a graduate student in Jordan, I wrote my master's thesis about different narratives about Islam in the United States. In particular, I focused on the relationship between language and power. I read dozens of books from across the spectrum, from Islam's most ardent defenders to its most vitriolic critics. My research confirmed by sense that so much of the debate about Islam isn't fully honest. It is less concerned with debating meaningful issues than with attempting to dominate the debate and squelch dissent. In general, I find this to be true of both "Islamophobes" and "apologists."
This book fits within my overall sense of the debate. It is an apologetic work, dedicated to defending Muslims by destroying the credibility of Islam's fiercest opponents. The author offers a relentless exposé of the sheer ugliness of individuals like Pamella Gellar, who profit from and take a perverse delight in hatemongering. This critique is important and necessary. Although I believe many Americans have legitimate concerns about Islam, at some point I have to call a spade a spade: many of the individuals who get involved in this debate are hateful, ignorant bigots. Lean exposes some of them, as well as the financial incentives undergirding their little empire. That is the book's main strength.
But the book suffers from the same deficiency that so many other apologetic works do; it doesn't engage at all with legitimate questions or concerns that non-Muslims have about Islam. To cite just one example, Lean tells us how terrible it is that Islamophobic organizations distribute material claiming that Muhammad slept with a nine year-old. However, he never engages with the fact that this tidbit is actually true, according to early Islamic sources. Nor does he engage with problematic aspects of shariah codified in classical Islamic jurisprudence. He writes off concerns about Islamic organizations in the US, despite extensive documentation that many of these groups grew out of the Muslim Brotherhood. The "Islamophobic industry" blows many of these things out of proportion, and I think honest analysis would dissipate many fears, but I don't find approaches like Lean's particularly helpful. Pamella Gellar and Robert Spencer may be hatemongers, but they are so successful because their work finds traction among average Americans who see things in Islam that legitimately concern them. Blowing off those concerns will not help things; what this debate needs is more patient, honest discussion about these critical issues. Perhaps Lean would argue that such discussion is beyond the scope of his book, but if he really wants to disarm the Islamophobes, this is where the conversation must go.
Lean's book does a service in exposing the worst aspects of the Islamophobic industry, but I fear it will only speak to an audience that already agrees with him. Those who have sincere questions or concerns about Islam will find little to satisfy them, and will need to look elsewhere for answers.
This book fits within my overall sense of the debate. It is an apologetic work, dedicated to defending Muslims by destroying the credibility of Islam's fiercest opponents. The author offers a relentless exposé of the sheer ugliness of individuals like Pamella Gellar, who profit from and take a perverse delight in hatemongering. This critique is important and necessary. Although I believe many Americans have legitimate concerns about Islam, at some point I have to call a spade a spade: many of the individuals who get involved in this debate are hateful, ignorant bigots. Lean exposes some of them, as well as the financial incentives undergirding their little empire. That is the book's main strength.
But the book suffers from the same deficiency that so many other apologetic works do; it doesn't engage at all with legitimate questions or concerns that non-Muslims have about Islam. To cite just one example, Lean tells us how terrible it is that Islamophobic organizations distribute material claiming that Muhammad slept with a nine year-old. However, he never engages with the fact that this tidbit is actually true, according to early Islamic sources. Nor does he engage with problematic aspects of shariah codified in classical Islamic jurisprudence. He writes off concerns about Islamic organizations in the US, despite extensive documentation that many of these groups grew out of the Muslim Brotherhood. The "Islamophobic industry" blows many of these things out of proportion, and I think honest analysis would dissipate many fears, but I don't find approaches like Lean's particularly helpful. Pamella Gellar and Robert Spencer may be hatemongers, but they are so successful because their work finds traction among average Americans who see things in Islam that legitimately concern them. Blowing off those concerns will not help things; what this debate needs is more patient, honest discussion about these critical issues. Perhaps Lean would argue that such discussion is beyond the scope of his book, but if he really wants to disarm the Islamophobes, this is where the conversation must go.
Lean's book does a service in exposing the worst aspects of the Islamophobic industry, but I fear it will only speak to an audience that already agrees with him. Those who have sincere questions or concerns about Islam will find little to satisfy them, and will need to look elsewhere for answers.
August 11, 2014
This is a good introduction to this subject but I wish it did not limit itself to the right wing. There is certainly a lot of Islamophobia in the "New Atheist" movement.
August 23, 2018
Excellent overview of the key actors and organisations involved. Especially good sections on the Christian and Zionist right. However, the sections on liberal islamophobia and especially Islamophobia in Europe were a little sparse, which takes this book down from five to four stars. Liberal Islamophobia (spread by the likes of Sam Harris and Bill Maher) receives scant attention, so I was pleased to see a halter dedicated to it. However, this chapter was disappointingly short and light on names of groups, individuals and money trails compared to the previous chapters. While obviously this is a book about a phenomenon which is particularly American, it would have been interesting to see more about how these groups interact with the European far right, especially since the refugee crisis and in light of the current influence of American conservatives in the Tommy Robinson saga.
November 4, 2015
A bit too rhetorical
The book contains a lot of very good information about the history of bigotry and xenophobia and Islamophobia. It provides a good break down of contemporary currents in Islamophobia and the professional Islamophobes. Unfortunately, it often engages in some name-calling and other rhetorical flourishes that take away from its objective.
The book contains a lot of very good information about the history of bigotry and xenophobia and Islamophobia. It provides a good break down of contemporary currents in Islamophobia and the professional Islamophobes. Unfortunately, it often engages in some name-calling and other rhetorical flourishes that take away from its objective.
September 22, 2012
This is a must read book if you want to know who is behind creating hate in USA against Islam and Muslims. I had the author on my live radio show. You must listen! And you must buy the book and give to American friends as a gift.
We hate you? How Christian Right and Zionists spread lies about islam? http://www.arabvoicesspeak.com/blog/2...
We hate you? How Christian Right and Zionists spread lies about islam? http://www.arabvoicesspeak.com/blog/2...
October 15, 2019
This book just... doesn't seem very serious about presenting anything new or insightful about Islamophobia in the US. To be honest, the intended audience kinda seems like people who are already completely sold on the horrifying growth and effects of Islamophobia, and then it turns off people like me who are looking for some sort of new contribution, so I feel like what's left is... I guess Daily Show watcher types?
June 7, 2022
Great review of the cogs behind the Islamophobia industry. The writing style is good and it was written in an investigative journalist style. Not sure why it's in a holocaust denial list. The book only mentions the Holocaust a handful of times and never once denies it taking place or does it denigrate the victims.
April 26, 2021
Lean is at his best when tracing the web of islamophobic connections, ultimately pointing to the mass murderer Breivik. But he could have followed the money chain more thoroughly and explained what might motivate the money. This is perhaps my main gripe: the lack of explanatory value. There's enough links and correlations being made, but not much in the way of a theoretical approach.
This comes to a head in the last chapter, which mainly features the relationships between European islamophobes like Wilders and Breivik on the one hand, and their anglophone counterparts Geller and Spencer (arguably the central figures of the book). While there is certainly reason to make these connections, the book does no work to elucidate the long and complex history of islamophobia. In making the connection to the anglophone sphere, the suggestion is made that this is a new phenomenon and not endemic to Europe. There is enough historical work to show how the concept of Europe itself is constructed out of a history of colonialism/Orientalism, othering, and fear of Muslim invasions. Lean does not make use of any of this to explain the rise of an islamophobic industry.
This comes to a head in the last chapter, which mainly features the relationships between European islamophobes like Wilders and Breivik on the one hand, and their anglophone counterparts Geller and Spencer (arguably the central figures of the book). While there is certainly reason to make these connections, the book does no work to elucidate the long and complex history of islamophobia. In making the connection to the anglophone sphere, the suggestion is made that this is a new phenomenon and not endemic to Europe. There is enough historical work to show how the concept of Europe itself is constructed out of a history of colonialism/Orientalism, othering, and fear of Muslim invasions. Lean does not make use of any of this to explain the rise of an islamophobic industry.
July 8, 2024
This book gives not only an important insight into how racism and Islamophobia ideologically function—concepts which I felt I already had some knowledge of beforehand—but also deeply dives into how these stereotypes are capitalized on. Lean does not fall into the trap of defending Islam as a religion simply because that, as I understand it, is not the purpose of this book. Rather, he works off of the assumption that Muslims have a right to exist, whether you agree with them or not. I found this a refreshing approach, as it further advances the discussion abou this phenomenon rather than getting stuck on the very right of the existence of Islam/practicing Muslims, as often is the case in public and media discourse.
At the heart of Lean's analysis is a small group of people who dedicate their careers to spreading hatred of Islam and, sadly, seem to be quite successful at doing so.
I found the book to have given me a new awareness of this industry, whereas I had not quite perceived it as such prior to reading.
At the heart of Lean's analysis is a small group of people who dedicate their careers to spreading hatred of Islam and, sadly, seem to be quite successful at doing so.
I found the book to have given me a new awareness of this industry, whereas I had not quite perceived it as such prior to reading.
March 20, 2016
Muhakkak okunması gereken bir kitap. Başta Amerika olmak üzere Batı'da yaygınlaşan ve sürekli körüklenen İslam karşıtlığını ve baş oyuncularını çok güzel bir şekilde gözler önüne sermiş. Tüm Batının okuması gerekir ki uyansınlar!
January 7, 2024
4.5 stars. Lean deftly weaves together the threads of online forums, news media, the influence of christian evangelicals, and the influence of pro-israel lobbyists to reveal the web of Islamophobia in the US. each chapter introduces new players and compounds the list that is brought to a culmination in the final chapter which relays the account of the 2011 Norway terror attacks. the 1500 page manifesto written by the perpetrator names almost everyone we’ve been introduced to in preceding chapters, and thus Lean convinces the reader of the consequences of Islamophobia being exported globally to immigration-obsessed countries.
my one thought while reading was that i would have liked a deep examination of Islamophobia in the UK. this is touched on in one chapter but not to the degree i’d seek — but that’s really outwith the scope of the book. some reviews argue that this feels like a book for people already aware of the ‘industry’ and either doesn’t go far enough with analysis or doesn’t present enough information, but as a reader from outside of the US, Lean’s book was useful in helping me understand how thoroughly entrenched in the US Islamophobia is, aside from Trump’s ramblings.
something especially eye-opening was the comparison between various European countries aside from the UK with disproportionate immigration concerns, hugely Islamophobic political leaders, and an increasingly hateful population. at least it’s not just this miserable island eh
my one thought while reading was that i would have liked a deep examination of Islamophobia in the UK. this is touched on in one chapter but not to the degree i’d seek — but that’s really outwith the scope of the book. some reviews argue that this feels like a book for people already aware of the ‘industry’ and either doesn’t go far enough with analysis or doesn’t present enough information, but as a reader from outside of the US, Lean’s book was useful in helping me understand how thoroughly entrenched in the US Islamophobia is, aside from Trump’s ramblings.
something especially eye-opening was the comparison between various European countries aside from the UK with disproportionate immigration concerns, hugely Islamophobic political leaders, and an increasingly hateful population. at least it’s not just this miserable island eh
August 12, 2019
True, aside from CSPAN and perhaps PBS and NPR, profit is a key driver of our media ecosphere. From Infowars to the NYT, people must make money from the news to survive, a fact that leaves the the discipline open to the ways of charlatans, profiteers, and big donors. After 9/11, a range of authors, bloggers, and commentators found that demonizing Muslims could sell books, attract viewers, and draw donations, helping them to live quite comfortably by appealing to our worst instincts.
September 4, 2021
Very important read but the scope of this topic is so wide there’s a lot more that could have been included, such as how the extent of the War on Terror contributed to Islamophobia worldwide, and the subtle Islamophobia of liberals and new atheists; this work is restricted to the hate created and fuelled by the right-wing in the western world.
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October 21, 2020really a good book with empirical data
May 1, 2022
Well-written and thoroughly researched, it should be mandatory reading for everyone.
Took a while to get through, a very dense and heavy read.
Took a while to get through, a very dense and heavy read.
January 21, 2013
Thanks to the author and goodreads for this First Reads giveaway!
Although it's not news to me that some on the right have discovered encouraging fear and paranoia leads to fame and wealth, I still found this book to be a worthwhile read. Lean concisely presents a variety of stories as evidence that conservatives are manipulating the public into an irrational fear of Muslims.
Although it's not news to me that some on the right have discovered encouraging fear and paranoia leads to fame and wealth, I still found this book to be a worthwhile read. Lean concisely presents a variety of stories as evidence that conservatives are manipulating the public into an irrational fear of Muslims.
November 20, 2013
very well planned and executed. clear and concise links all laid out in a way that would be easily understandable to anyone even if they are not well versed in how islamophobia is used to further political agendas. greatly enjoyed the care that this author took in developing his theories. would recommend to anyone with interest in the religious conflicts.
April 15, 2013
Excellent book, presented very well, a real eye opener that I wish everyone would read.
August 17, 2013
Interesting and provoking angles
March 15, 2015
Well researched and easy to read. Sometimes too much details and people-based stories, which took off the one star.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews