Beyond the racialised Islamophobic narrative: Muslim identity as a protective factor against radicalisation

Abstract

This paper’s primary contribution is an evidence-based critique of European securitisation policy, founded on the flawed premise that Muslim identity is a risk factor for political violence. Our multinational, mixed-methods study (415 interviews; 5268 surveys) demonstrates this premise is empirically fallacious. The study’s most significant finding is that a strong Muslim identity is a protective factor, reducing the odds of supporting violence in response to repeated humiliation by 78.4%. We argue that policy preoccupation with religion has created a dangerous blind spot. The real driver is structural racism, which fosters alienation through “racialised disposability”. By misdiagnosing the problem, current policies are not only ineffective but actively iatrogenic, harming community resilience and inadvertently creating the very conditions they claim to prevent. This paper provides the empirical foundation for a necessary paradigm shift, arguing that effective policy must move from securitising identity towards a comprehensive anti-racism agenda that fosters genuine social inclusion.