Muslim groups reject push for new Islamophobia definition at Australian universities

Universities in Australia have been consulting with Muslim students and staff as to whether to develop a separate definition for Islamophobia as part of their antiracism commitments. Muslim and pro-Palestinian groups say it would ‘perpetuate double standards’. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

A coalition of Muslim and Palestinian organisations have rejected a push by universities to adopt a new definition of Islamophobia, arguing it would “shield” the institutions from criticism of their contentious new antisemitism definition, and that a unified standard that rejects all racism is what is needed.

Last month, Australia’s universities confirmed they would unilaterally enforce a new definition of antisemitism on campuses after an inquiry recommended higher education providers “closely align” with the contentious International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition.