Moral panic is typically inevitable when anxiety and fear engulfs a given community, society, or even the whole world concerning a particular issue, which either directly or indirectly challenges or threatens the typical standards of morality. Islamophobia is apparently regarded as an element of moral panic, and it does not only affect Australia but also the west, Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world, hence a worldwide moral panic (Poynting & Mason 2007). As opposed to civil movements, youth uprisings, and local social instabilities, the problem of Islamophobia has been regarded by most researchers and diplomats alike; as a threat of global stability that no single government can contain autonomously, for the safety of both the Muslim religion and the comfort of the rest of the populace. In fact, the moral panic that has come about in Australia as far as Islamophobia is concerned has rendered Islam a vulnerable and destabilised community; but has equally attracted social anxiety in the remote Australian community. The argument hitherto sets the platform for the critical inquest as to whether the reaction to Islamophobia in Australia is an example of a moral panic or not. Through the hypothesis of moral panic, the challenge of Islamophobia in Australia is hence discussed. The issue of the fear of multiculturalism and the repulsion against the Asian invasion remain core on the Australian agenda, and thus the escalated resistance against Islamic influence and the arrival of asylum seekers on uncensored boats (Bouma 2011). As opposed to the understanding that moral panic should be episodic, the Islamophobic occurrence in Australia remains to be a permanent challenge, because of the perpetual fear and resistance of the terrorist attacks the world over, whose masterminds are mostly Islamic linked believers. In essence, the moral panic witnessed in Australia is not only limited to the Islamophobic phenomenon but also goes across multifaceted spheres to border on societal reactions, consensus, as well as classic moral uprightness in culture.
It is true that Islam is indeed a religion and not a race. However, Islam has been radicalised, so that Islamophobia is more of a people who come from a given part of the world, where individual regalia, have a perceived skin complexion or even talk a particular language, as opposed to their religious background. Moreover, the unique elements like the hijab or the Middle East accent are what has served to propel the question of Islamophobia even to more controversial levels that it would typically seem (Poynting & Mason 2007). Consequently, a majority of the Muslims are discriminated upon or prejudiced just because of an arbitrary misconception that a people from a given country behave or act in a particular manner that arouses anxiety and social imbalances.
The question of Islamophobia had become more intense, not only in Australia but also the world over, especially in the west following the recent and consistent terrorist attacks. The terror cells are thought to be brood in some parts of northern African countries, the middle east, ISIS, SIL, IS, and Al-Qaeda bases plus the affiliated factions like Taliban in Afghanistan (Bouma 2011). Consequently, the presentation and hence the image portrayed of such terrorist gives a general feeling that they come from countries which are Muslim dominated. It would then follow expressly that most people the world over fall victim of arbitrary judgment, to drive meaning that all terrorist come from Muslim countries, and hence all terrorist are Muslims; which is wrong. Consequently, with such a misguided perception, the element of moral panic has become real, and Islamophobia has been fortified ion Australia like this, despite all Muslims not being terrorists. Statements made by politicians also serve to heighten the tension in the society and cause the levels of moral panic to surge beyond control. Pauline Hanson said, “We have a disease, we vaccinate ourselves against it. Islam is a disease; we need to vaccinate ourselves against it” (Bouma 2011, 438).The statements were made when the Islam linked terrorists launched attacks in Britain, on the Houses of Parliament and the Westminster Bridge in London in 2017 march (Bouma 2011). A disease is not selective, and all people fight against pandemics. By calling the whole Islamic faith as a “disease” therefore means people in Australia should rise against all Muslims regardless of their patriotism. In fact, it appeared as though all Muslims should be mass arrested and put in internment camps, or at worst be eliminated from Australia, other than the formalisation of the hateful speech against the whole faith (Bloul 2008).
The discrimination and segregation of Muslims in Australia are encouraged on a daily basis when statements that seem to mean terrorism is the synonym of Islam are made continuously. Prominent people in Australia and the world over are Muslim, and by extension, a significant percentage of the whole population belongs to this faith. Consequently, other than the moral panic terrorism and Islam has caused, a critical approach would reveal that terrorists have equally caused panic among pacified Muslims (Bloul 2008). Incidences have been reported in Australia among Muslim students who are foreign in the country, regarding the extreme social discriminations they face because of Islamophobia. Some cannot mingle with their peers at school or ion class comfortable, while some are physically molested on their way to or from college. All the hate and harassment is a reflection of the moral panic that has gained ground in the Australian populace (Akbarzadeh 2016). In fact, on a detailed approach, more problems come on board when one imagines that Muslims have to enjoy social equality and live in Australia peacefully, just like the rest of the population.
Both in the recent history and across millennia, Australia has been regarded as a multicultural destination which offered refuge to so many yet very diverse, in times of anguish and happiness. The tens of thousands of immigrant that flock in cannot be underestimated in social significance, with Muslims being part of the entrants. Across decades, different religions, cultures, beliefs, traditions, and political inclinations have found hope in Australia and called it home. More particularly, other than the cameleers of Afghan and other Muslims from diverse destinations, the Islam religion has been no exception in peacefully blending into the rest of the population in Australia, to hence deliver a multicultural society (Bloul 2008). Whether in class and colleges as students, in urban centres or local residential areas, or even working neighbourhoods, Muslims have been an integral part of the Australian community.
Nevertheless, the vices of Islamophobia and consistent radicalisation have cropped up, and their escalating influence has only served to sever the otherwise intense social, political, and economic bonds in the Australia multicultural society. Radicalization has become a standard threat to Muslims and non-Muslims. While government stakeholders have approached radicalisation as a security issue, researchers and diplomats have chosen to rediscover the vice as a social menace (Akbarzadeh 2016). Consequently, time and monetary resource have to be lost as experiences to trying to find solutions to radicalisation in Australia and come up with lasting solutions.
The issue of Islamophobia in Australia is less understood, researched, documented, and discussed. As such, many literature gaps and loops holes do exist, making the society fall squarely at the mercy of ignorance as a vice and stakeholders left with no options to make. Islamophobia is not given the serious attention it deserves in Australia. Indeed, Islamophobia is thus a critical subject, which needs an urgent address in Australia, before the situation fully gets out of hand. Research data has revealed that Islamophobia has gained more ground and that it has since become a social challenge that cannot be wished away expressly (Akbarzadeh 2016). Nevertheless, statistics about terrorist attacks in Australia do not indicate a grave atmosphere as one would imagine (Perry & Poynting 2007). The conclusion would be that the Muslims living in Australia are not terrorists and that the escalating hate and discrimination is merely a show of uncalled for contempt against the Islamic faith.
The Australian constitution has a unique part of the minority. However, in democratic approaches, the minorities hardly get access top impartial treatment, and justice would typically be taken away. In the same vein, the moral panic in Australia, which emanates from Islamophobia, has received a political drift and this is why the Muslims, being the minority, do face social challenges both within and outside of their residential areas (Perry & Poynting 2007). The negative pressure and the antagonism being faced by Muslims in Australia is only inversely proportional to the alleged causal factors, it being terrorism, and hence the uncalled for moral panic. Islamophobia as a social challenge should neither be plaid down nor be ignored; somewhat, it should be overcome to upend the plans of social destruction (Poynting & Mason 2008). Therefore, the suitable solutions to counter Islamophobia and radicalisation in equal measure should be adapted, avert all the accompanying political, economic and social miss conceptions.
The problem or moral panic due to Islamophobia cannot be entirely blamed on the nature of the Australian socio-political and cultural setting; instead, other influencing factors from different parts of the world have equally affected. For example, since then2001 9/11 attacks took place in the US, when Al Qaeda brought down the World Trade Center twin towers in America, and equally hit the Pentagon building (Samari 2016). The many lives lost and millions of property destroyed, plus the escalation of a war that has caused the surge of terrorist groups and wave of refugees in the Middle East have all contributed to the reduction in the degree of social liberalism toward the Islamic religion (Samari 2016). Consequently, most Muslims have faced repression and social injustices not only in Australia but also in other parts of the world. Islamophobia had become malignant cancer in a symbolic view, which has metastasised to different parts of the world at an alarming rate without any etiological pressure (Poynting 2008). The globalisation era and the technological inventions in the twenty-first century have as well served to make Islamophobia a transitional tool, which is poised to weaken multicultural societies. Perhaps more policing, surveillance, and cultural tolerance could help avert Islamophobia, to foster a stable and secure world. In fact, the politics of assimilation and coercion have only served to worsen the situation (Poynting & Mason 2008). The challenge of moral panic in Australia due to Islamophobia could be better handled by researchers in the segments of political communication, assimilation and citizenship, war and terror, ethnicity, as well as social to divulge more evidence-based solutions to the vice.
In conclusion, therefore, there is a substantial degree of Islamophobia in Australia that has caused critical social and political instability. While the elements of Islamophobia could be both personal and institutional, one should note that the Australian society has an inclusive culture and a pluralist social setup, as well as a limited group of conservative behaviour who regard Christianity or Muslim as the core. On the other hand, Islamophobia has become more of a political gimmick than a social concern, like this being fueled by the extreme right leaning individuals who propagate discrimination and hatred against Muslims. In fact, social media, mainstream media and social life alike have platforms of the secularisation of Islamophobia, so that they all fuel the vice in different dimensions of societal balance. A keen observer would realise that while mainstream media in Australia has been eager to admonish radicalisation among Muslims, it turns a blind eye on the many social injustices committed against Islamic people. The extremists with the camp of Islamic religion has become a primary focus for government, individuals, non-governmental organisations and media, as other factions prevail against social justice in the society. On a critical note, the media reports on Islamic activities and terrorist reports have peaked both internationally and locally, hence making Islamophobia an acceptable vice in the society. As such, moral panic in the Australian community is not centrally founded on terrorist attacks per se; somewhat, it is hyped by those who grossly discriminate against the Islamic faith. All responsible stakeholders across the political and religious divide, as well as the media, should reconsider their position. Hardliners should withdraw their unfounded sentiments and allow a multicultural framework to thrive so that Islamophobia dies out and hence moral panic de-escalates.
References
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Bloul, R.A.D., 2008. Anti-discrimination Laws, Islamophobia, and Ethnicization of Muslim Identities in Europe and Australia. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs, 28(1), pp.7–25. Available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13602000802011036.
Bouma, G.D., 2011. Islamophobia as a constraint to world peace: The case of Australia. Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations, 22(4), pp.433–441.
Perry, B. & Poynting, S., 2007. Climates of hate : media and state inspired victimisation of Muslims in Canada and Australia since 9/11. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 19(2), p.150. Available at: http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.lib.unimelb.edu.au/documentSummary%5Cnres=AGISPT%5Cndn=20080718%5Cnpapers2://publication/uuid/7AD7AF0C-D0D5-4059-A948-F06C204BFB68.
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