Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU)

In a new survey that assesses the influence of Hindutva in the U.S., we found that Hindus in our sample with favorable views of Indian Prime Minister Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party are more likely to be politically engaged in U.S. and Indian politics. ✳️ 41% of the Hindus in our sample say that they financially contribute to groups based in the U.S. that support the Modi government. ✳️ 45% of Hindus surveyed who agree with the Citizenship Amendment Act–which offers amnesty to migrants from neighboring countries while excluding Muslims from those same countries–have contributed money to groups in the U.S. that support the Modi government, compared to only 36% of Hindus in the U.S. who do not agree. ✳️ 65% of Hindus in our sample reported that they had a very or somewhat favorable view of Modi’s BJP, and this group is more likely to be actively involved in both U.S. and Indian politics. Continue reading Hindu Nationalism in America: Assessing the Influence of Hindutva Ideology in the U.S.: https://hubs.li/Q02WJMG60

On the eve of the general election, Saher Selod, ISPU Director of Research, talked to the NYT about the Islamophobic stereotypes Muslims in the U.S. suffer under. The piece discusses the dehumanization Muslim and Arab Americans have experienced in the wake of the war in Gaza and presidential candidates' responses. https://lnkd.in/g-fGVNaw

In September, ISPU released a report that provides a snapshot of civic engagement and political participation among American Muslims—a group that has received a high level of attention this election cycle. The report, A Landscape Analysis of American Muslim Civic Engagement, dives deep into who American Muslims are as voters and civically engaged citizens, including: • factors that influence Muslim civic engagement and political engagement • top domestic policy issues for American Muslims • top foreign policy issues for American Muslims • Muslim political mobilization in response to violence in Palestine Explore the report: https://hubs.li/Q02WJLkP0 This report is an outcome of the work of the Community Collaborative Initiative (CCI), an action-based participatory research project hosted by Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The committee includes Emgage, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim Civic Coalition, the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, and American Muslim Health Professionals.

Over the last several election cycles, ISPU has captured what issues are most important for American Muslims, as well as other religious groups and the general public. In 2016, the economy, civil rights, and education were the top priorities of Muslims. In 2020, the economy remained a high concern, but healthcare and social justice causes topped the list as most important to Muslims. This year, Muslim voters in Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Michigan named Gaza as their number one concern, without a close second. Unlike previous elections, this is the first time Muslims are united over a single issue, regardless of race, age, gender, or partisanship. Stay tuned in as we continue to share data on Muslim voters ahead of the election this week.

In our study of Hindu nationalist ideology in the United States, our survey of U.S. Hindus shows that half of U.S. Hindus in our sample agree with at least some Hindu nationalist policy. ✳️ Fifty percent of U.S. Hindus in our sample responded that they agree with the Citizenship Amendment Act in India, which offers amnesty to migrants from neighboring countries while excluding Muslims from those same countries. ✳️ The same proportion of U.S. Hindus in our sample agree that the demolition of “illegal” churches and mosques in India is lawful and important. ✳️ Hindus in the U.S. in our sample are also more likely than the general public to support anti-Muslim policies in the U.S. such as travel bans, banning the building of mosques, and surveillance programs. While U.S. Hindus in our sample who espouse liberal views are less likely to agree with Indian policies that disproportionately target Muslims, there is still agreement of these policies among at least one third of liberal Hindus in the U.S. Read the report today: https://hubs.li/Q02WHkJy0

A new ISPU report that analyzes the influence of Hindu nationalist ideology, also known as Hindutva, in the U.S., shows that U.S. Hindus in our sample score higher on ISPU’s Islamophobia Index and are more likely to endorse false anti-Muslim tropes compared to the general public. Negative stereotypes of Muslims are regularly injected into Indian and U.S. popular culture, and the Hindus surveyed appear to overwhelmingly agree that there is at least some stereotyping in the media’s representation of Muslims. Eighty-two percent of the Hindus in our sample say Bollywood contains or promotes stereotypes against Muslims. Read the report today: https://hubs.li/Q02WCB-q0

Winning Muslim Votes author Dalia Mogahed talks Biden's loss of support among Muslim voters before he exited the race. While the nominee has changed, there is little indication that Kamala Harris’ positions substantively change course on the issues that are of most concern to respondents. Our survey reveals a dramatic shift in Muslim support from Biden. Only 18% of Muslims who voted for Biden in 2020 planned to back him in 2024 before he dropped out, a sharp decline driven largely by dissatisfaction with his handling of Gaza. Our findings reveal that this decline is not translating into increased support for Trump, but rather pushing many Muslim voters toward third-party candidates or leaving them undecided. Read more on Muslim voters' priorities this election: https://hubs.li/Q02Wxg6f0

In our study of Hindu nationalist ideology, our survey of U.S. Hindus shows that those surveyed score higher than the general public on ISPU’s Islamophobia Index, a tool that measures the public endorsement of five false anti-Muslim tropes. US Hindus in our sample scored 44 (on a scale of 0 to 100) while the general public scored 36. Previous research links greater endorsement of these false stereotypes with greater acceptance of anti-Muslim policies such as mosque surveillance, racial profiling, greater scrutiny of Muslims at airports, and even taking away the voting rights of Americans who are Muslim. However, among U.S. Hindus in our sample who say that they have a close Muslim friend, their Islamophobia Index score is 37, compared to a score of 52 for those who do not have a close Muslim relationship. Read the report today: https://hubs.li/Q02WpCFp0

Today, ISPU released a new report that looks at the influence of Hindutva, or Hindu nationalist ideology, in the U.S. The report surveys a sample of Hindus in the U.S. on their views on identity, politics, and social issues, comparing them to the general public. Key findings from the report: ✳️ Religion is very important for how nearly half of Hindus in the sample think of themselves, more so than Indian or American national identity. ✳️ Nearly two thirds of U.S. Hindus surveyed have a favorable view of Prime Minister of India Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). ✳️ U.S. Hindus in the sample score higher on the Islamophobia Index than the general public. ✳️ The Hindus surveyed are actively engaged in U.S. campaigns, far more than the general public. Previous ISPU polls have not included large enough sample sizes of Hindus in the U.S. to analyze these views. Understanding the influence of Hindutva ideology among U.S.-based Hindus on attitudes toward American Muslims adds an important perspective to ISPU’s body of work on Islamophobia and discrimination. View additional graphs and read more: https://hubs.li/Q02Wnm7h0

Out today: A new ISPU report that assesses the influence of Hindu nationalist ideology, also called Hindutva, in the U.S. This report highlights the results of a survey fielded to Hindus living in the U.S., measuring their views about identity, politics, social issues, and news and media consumption in comparison to the U.S. general public. The results highlight various ways in which Hindu nationalist ideology can be identified among U.S. Hindus in our sample. The study uncovers patterns, trends, associations, and contradictions that shed light on the prevalence and impact of Hindutva ideology on Americans. Understanding the influence of Hindutva ideology among a sample of U.S.-based Hindus on attitudes toward American Muslims adds an important perspective to ISPU’s body of work on Islamophobia and discrimination. By analyzing perceptions of religious and political identity and democratic values, the report presents the ways in which Hindutva ideology intersects with American values and institutions, potentially influencing public discourse and policymaking processes. Explore the report: https://hubs.li/Q02WkjnW0