According to Professor Deepa Kumar, author of Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, one of the critical distinctions between right-wing Islamophobia and liberal Islamophobia is “the way liberal Islamophobia works […] it roundly criticizes Islam-bashing, thereby preempting charges of racism, but then it goes on to champion programs that target and vilify Muslims.” Using her framework, Professor Kumar noted that a liberal might obviously condemn hate crimes against Muslims, but on the flip side support illiberal policies like the New York City Police Department’s longtime spying program on US Muslims, Arabs, and South Asian communities after 9/11.

DEFINE: Distinguishes liberal Islamophobia from right-wing Islamophobia: it preempts racism charges by condemning Islam-bashing while supporting policies that target Muslims.

Arsalan Iftikhar, Fear of a Muslim Planet_ Gl…, loc. 712