Seeking Objectivity in Survey Data: An Analysis of Survey Data

Abstract

Since 9/11, aggressive governmental policies have been justified as being reflective of the public’s fear of Islam and Muslims. This fear and discrimination can be summarized as being at the core of the study of Islamophobia and its effects on the world. The sentiment of the public towards Muslim Americans, coupled with a rhetoric of marketable fears, have both generated a cyclical snowball effect of accepted xenophobia and intense politicization of Islam on both sides. The primary purpose of this paper is to explore the phenomenon of Islamophobia through a comparative look at large-scale surveys and their similarities and differences from 2002 through 2018. The guiding question for this thesis is, “How can we define Islamophobia through survey data?” The imperative of this study and many seeking to define Islamophobia through various means is to determine truths and objectivity in a highly politicized realm of study. This thesis finds that such surveys are influenced greatly by political narratives and that thorough qualitative analysis is required for an accurate assessment of objectivity. The concept and definition of Islamophobia will be offered as ground work upon which the narratives that have been employed will be discussed. First, an understanding of the historical context of the Muslim American will be offered as it relates to Islamophobia. An operationalized definition of Islamophobia provides common themes found within the survey research. A framework is developed for individual profiles of survey groups, with which a comparative analysis of several key surveys can be made. This will provide for an understanding of the narratives that present themselves in research and will hopefully offer a way for researchers to get a better understanding of the Muslim American experience as seen through Islamophobia.