Comparing and Relating Anti-Semitic and Anti-Muslim Views in America

• In Event: 2154 - Political Tolerance and Bias

Abstract

Recent sociological work has documented rising levels of anti-Muslim opinion in the United States, paralleling a similar rise in Europe. The recent reemergence of anti-Semitic rhetoric and symbolism also has parallels in Europe. But what is the relationship of anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim views in the United States? Do they follow the same cultural logic? After reviewing the (mostly European) literature that forms a basis for making such comparisons, we investigate Americans’ views using recent survey data with several parallel items expressly designed for this purpose. Using simple descriptive analysis we show that anti-Muslim sentiment is much more extensive, though varied by racial and religious position. Our latent class analysis of whites’ views explores their relationship across four predicted classes. We show that anti-Semitism is nested within anti-Muslim attitudes: while anti-Muslim attitudes can and do exist without anti-Semitic ones, anti-Semitic views go with anti-Muslim views, marking a stronger and more radical position.

Authors

• Joseph H. Gerteis, University of Minnesota

• Nir Rotem, University of Minnesota