Islamophobia |isˌläməˈfōbēə; iz-|noun: a hatred or fear of Islam or Muslims, especially when feared as a political force.

I chose Islamophobia as my unit plan topic because in an age where our media is filled with notions of the so-called war on terror, stories of oppressed Muslim women, and misrepresentations of Muslim and/or Arab individuals and culture-- all of which are shown in a stereotypical, far-from-reality manner—I feel an urgent need to expose students to this issue through an entire unit as opposed to just one lesson. In a world where there is visible discrimination against Muslims, I aim for this unit plan to show how mainstream media plays a significant role in shaping our beliefs, and what could be done to counteract it. I hope to foster a sense of acceptance and understanding toward a community that is labeled and scrutinized more often than not.

Islamophobia is manifested in many aspects of life. From stereotyping and misrepresentation in the media, to discrimination on the job market and in airports, Muslims and/or Arabs suffer injustices on a daily basis. I believe that Islamophobia is no less of a threat to our societies than anti-Semitism and any other kind of xenophobia. A population of 1.6 billion people, of diverse backgrounds and cultures, is being vilified because of the actions of a fanatic minority, whose names we even know. Arabs of other religious communities are not spared, as they too are judged based on their Arab sounding names and Arab looking features. They are automatically assumed to be Muslim, and endure the same kind of treatment their Muslim brethren receive. 

I believe that this issue should be discussed frankly and critically in schools, and as early as possible. The notion of Muslims or Arabs being the 'Other' who want to 'destroy the West and their culture', and the new notion of homegrown terrorism which insinuates that the friendly Muslims next-door are not immune to being terrorists themselves, will keep on being perpetuated in mainstream media until people wake up and stop buying these ideas. A real effort should be put in order to open this generation's eyes and minds, and I sincerely hope that this unit plan succeeds in playing a role in easing our struggle, a.k.a jihad in Arabic, against Islamophobia.