Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue

<strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>: <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on <strong>the</strong> State of Dialogue
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Annex 1: Public Opinion on <strong>the</strong> State of Muslim-<strong>West</strong> Dialogue
protection of free speech, only 40% of <strong>the</strong>
French public <strong>and</strong> 36% of <strong>the</strong> British public
agreed. In <strong>the</strong> case of <strong>the</strong> British public, a
majority (57%) said it should not be allowed 11 .
Although <strong>the</strong>se European publics were split on
where to draw limits in regard to <strong>the</strong> Danish
cartoons, majorities in <strong>the</strong>se three nations were
in agreement that newspapers should not be
allowed to print racial slurs, child pornography
<strong>and</strong> jokes about <strong>the</strong> Holocaust. For example,
while <strong>the</strong> majority of Germans believed printing
<strong>the</strong> Danish cartoons was protected by free
speech, only 10% said <strong>the</strong> same about
newspapers printing cartoons making light of
<strong>the</strong> Holocaust, <strong>and</strong> no respondent thought
child pornography should be included within
<strong>the</strong> boundaries of freedom of expression 12 .
Whatever, in fact, drives <strong>the</strong> perception that
<strong>the</strong> Muslim world does not respect <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> –
<strong>the</strong> conflation of Muslim anger toward specific
countries, policies, or values issues with anger
at <strong>West</strong>ern culture at large – <strong>the</strong> perception
itself flies in <strong>the</strong> face of <strong>the</strong> data. Allowing for
<strong>the</strong> fact that “respect” can be understood in
different ways in different contexts – for
example, some may respect <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> for its
power but despise its dominant individualist
ethos – <strong>the</strong>re appears to be a reservoir of
goodwill among <strong>the</strong> populations of Muslim-
majority countries that might be a resource in
efforts to deepen dialogue at international <strong>and</strong>
national levels.
• Is <strong>the</strong> quality of interactions between <strong>the</strong>
Muslim <strong>and</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern worlds important to you?
Ano<strong>the</strong>r encouraging sign for <strong>the</strong> prospects of
greater dialogue is <strong>the</strong> finding that majorities in
most nations surveyed say that <strong>the</strong> quality of
interactions between <strong>the</strong> Muslim <strong>and</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern
world is important to <strong>the</strong>m. In some countries –
including Denmark, <strong>the</strong> United States, Belgium,
Italy, Israel, Canada <strong>and</strong> Spain – <strong>the</strong> number is
as high as 3 in 4, which is more than those that
credit ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> Muslim World or <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern
world for commitment to improved relations. In
this regard, many believe <strong>the</strong>ir own personal
level of commitment is higher than that of <strong>the</strong>ir
own leadership, <strong>and</strong> much higher than <strong>the</strong>
leadership of <strong>the</strong> “o<strong>the</strong>r side”.
In <strong>the</strong> Middle East, Iran had <strong>the</strong> highest
percentage saying that <strong>the</strong> interactionbetween
<strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Muslim world is important, at
70%. These figures were also particularly high
in Turkey (64%). US imposed sanctions, as
Figure A.2
Denmark
Is <strong>the</strong> quality of interaction between
<strong>the</strong> Muslim <strong>and</strong> <strong>West</strong>ern Worlds
important to you?
11 John L. Esposito <strong>and</strong> Dalia Mogahed, Gallup World Poll in UK, Germany <strong>and</strong> France, January 2007, referenced in Who Speaks for <strong>Islam</strong>?
What a Billion Muslims Really Think.
12 Ibid
USA
Belgium
Italy
Spain
Canada
Iran
Ne<strong>the</strong>rl<strong>and</strong>s
Israel
Bangladesh
Turkey
S. Arabia
Egypt
Sweden
Palestine
Malaysia
Russia
Singapore
Indonesia
Brazil
Pakistan
Important Not important
0% 50% 100%