Can Studying History Curb Islamophobia? History Teaching, Perceptions of Historical Islam, and Anti-Muslim Prejudice

• In Event: Challenges in Teaching Complex Histories

Abstract

This paper explores the potential of engagement with multicultural history curriculum about Islam to impact historical perceptions to change stereotypes and curb Islamophobia, adapting European Islamophobia measurement scales to a Jewish Israeli context and to adolescent audiences. Study 1 (N=250) proved the applicability of the scales to Jewish-Israeli adolescents, and revealed the association of historical perceptions of Islam with Islamophobia as well as the impact of studying about Islam in a comparative design. Study 2 (N=146) used a quasi-experimental design to show teaching about Islam in collaborative versus confrontational historical contexts affected changes in historical perceptions of Islam. Changes in historical perceptions predicted changes in stereotypes, and had an indirect effect on threat and social-distance towards Muslims

Authors

• Tsafrir Goldberg, University of Haifa

• Yael Ohad-Karny, David Yelin College