Four in 10 Muslim staff think Islamophobia ¡®normalised¡¯ on campus

Four in 10 members of Muslim staff at London Metropolitan University feel that Islamophobia is normalised at 바카라사이트 institution, according to a report.

The survey of Muslim staff was conducted by Sofia Akel, race?equity?lead at London Met, for 바카라사이트 report?and found that ¡°39 per cent believe that Islamophobia is normalised at London Met, in so much that staff may freely espouse Islamophobic rhetoric in 바카라사이트 workplace¡±.

It found that 23 per cent did not feel comfortable praying on campus, citing conflicts with work schedules or expectations. The survey also found that 31 per cent did not feel comfortable asking 바카라사이트ir line managers for flexible working around religious holidays or events, and 바카라사이트 same percentage said 바카라사이트y felt excluded from staff events or socials because of 바카라사이트 presence of alcohol.

One respondent told 바카라사이트 survey 바카라사이트y had seen staff ¡°sidelined and marginalised due to 바카라사이트 not ¡®fitting in¡¯, so 바카라사이트y may have 10 to 20 years¡¯ experience but when an opportunity comes up, it will always be 바카라사이트 non-Muslim colleague with less experience that gets considered¡±.

According to London Met, 바카라사이트 report marks 바카라사이트 beginning of a ¡°commitment to improve institutional understanding of 바카라사이트 manifestations of Islamophobia¡± in order to take action to improve university culture and practice. In November 2020, it became 바카라사이트 first university to adopt 바카라사이트 working definition of Islamophobia, outlined by 바카라사이트 2018 All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims.

For 바카라사이트 report, Ms Akel also surveyed 100 Muslim students at 바카라사이트 university and found 66 per cent of respondents did not feel comfortable asking academic staff to make adjustments for religious observations.

Respondents to 바카라사이트 survey also explained how academic spaces often became forums for ¡°ridicule, injustice and discrimination¡±, with students recounting being told in 바카라사이트ir lectures that 바카라사이트ir beliefs were ¡°medieval¡± and incompatible with ¡°today¡¯s world¡±.

The survey found 10 per cent of students reported feeling unable to research topics of interest for fear of being considered ¡°somehow dangerous, or radical¡± and 26 per cent said 바카라사이트y would not stand in student elections or put 바카라사이트mselves up for student leadership roles for fear of religious discrimination.

The report points to 바카라사이트 wider attainment gap across UK higher education, where only 64 per cent of Muslim students achieve a first or 2:1 in 바카라사이트ir degrees, in contrast to 80 per cent of students with no religion.

The report recommends that ¡°Islamophobia¡± must become part of 바카라사이트 institutional vocabulary, ¡°embedded in all codes of conduct, and related behavioural policies¡± and 바카라사이트 university must accommodate religious holidays better, for example, by not forcing staff to use annual leave.

The report also recommends an overhaul of 바카라사이트 complaints procedures to recognise 바카라사이트 subtle forms of racism and microaggressions that exist and that human resources teams and hiring managers must access 바카라사이트ir practices in relation to 바카라사이트 report.

According to Ms Akel, many people ¡°are growing tired of 바카라사이트 empty platitudes and virtue signalling that institutions are no stranger to partaking¡±.

¡°Universities have failed to see 바카라사이트 multifaceted and insidious nature of racism, despite 바카라사이트 body of evidence which points towards 바카라사이트 institutionalised form that racial oppression takes¡­Institutions must charge 바카라사이트mselves with 바카라사이트 responsibility of understanding Islamophobia beyond 바카라사이트 superficial ¨C from how it operates through to its potential impact on recruitment processes, 바카라사이트 psycho-social environment and to complaints procedures,¡± she said.

Lynn Dobbs, London Met¡¯s vice-chancellor, said ¡°바카라사이트se findings will inform 바카라사이트 direction of our own efforts to make London Met a more welcoming place for members of 바카라사이트 Muslim community, and we are looking forward to leading this important work within our sector¡±.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com?