The Islamophobia Project and Its Impact on the Preservation of U.S. Hegemony

Abstract

Islamophobia is one of the most contested yet significant topics in the field of international relations. This issue has attracted increasing attention since the final years of the Cold War and the beginning of the third millennium. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States emerged as the global hegemonic power, while simultaneously Islamophobia intensified in Western countries. Investigating the roots, causes, and consequences of this phenomenon necessitates extensive scholarly research. The aim of the present study is to shed light on the hidden aspects of the U.S. pursuit of this project at the international level. Accordingly, the central question of this research is: Why has the United States pursued the Islamophobia project globally, and how does Islamophobia contribute to the maintenance of its hegemony? This study employed a descriptive-analytical approach and was conducted through library-based research. The findings indicate that following the defeat of communism, the West—under U.S. leadership—faced a vacuum of enemies and counter-discourses, which was essential for redefining its identity, maintaining internal cohesion, and sustaining its hegemonic position. To fill this gap, political Islam was constructed as the new "other," and the Islamophobia project was initiated. All strategic and operational programs, particularly the U.S.-led wars in the Islamic world, were designed and implemented in line with this framework and can be analyzed from this perspective.