Manifestations and Aspects of Islamophobia in Europe: Neo-conservative and Liberal Approaches

Islamophobia or negative irrational perceptions of Islam and Muslims is rooted in historical ups and downs, guided political approaches and distorted Western epistemological underpinnings. today in Europe, the Islamophobia approaches are categorized intotwo branches: 1. neo-conservatism and 2. liberal. The theory of the clash of civilizations turned out to be the theoretical basis for extremist neo-conservative approaches in Europe in such a way that some European authors created the “Eurabia” phenomenonand hence, without having any results, these acts have added to the extent of irrational feelings of Islamophobia in Europe. However, the liberal Islamophobia approach concentrated on “political Islam” and incorporated programs in its agenda to liberalizeEuropean Muslims. In this respect, the policy of “multiculturalism” turned into “monoculturalism” and “cultural homogenization”.The secular ideological approach that has evolved as asocial-historical structure in the Western ideological atmosphere isone of the most important reasons of Islamophobic tendencies inEurope. The Islamic teachings and Muslim cultural, social and political spheres are mixed with religious and moral foundations.In this respect, the secular Western approach should see politicalIslam as a “non-Western language” of politics.