The discrimination case against the woman of Islamic faith has created a lot of media attention and discussion among the Norwegian people. Some agree with the hairdresser but most agree with the woman that was discriminated. This website is based on one case, and is not representing the whole Norwegian population.Far from all and most people do not agree with discrimination and racism against Muslims. This essay is to highlight some important and highly applicable themes, not only in Norway but in the whole Western world today. When we see the case and Norway as a society through the lens of Peter Berger, Emile Durkheim and islamophobia, we get different understandings, views and perspectives on the case.

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I have asked the question: Why are people so afraid? And what does this fear do to a society where mistrust and prejudices among ethnical Norwegians and Muslims already exist? I can’t say that I have all the answers, because I don’t. But based on this case and through these different texts, we can see that the pictures people have of Muslims, are not very nuanced, the knowledge is often based on what media signals. Terrorism is frightening. The hairdresser sees the hijab, and her thoughts go strait to the extreme side of Islam.

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In some sense she is right, some of the Muslims that belong to the extreme Islamic faith are members of ISIS, a well-known terrorist group. What is often forgot though, and that we have to remember, is that this is only a small part of the Muslim population. Muslims are not one homogeneous group that all believe and stand for the same. Islam is a very diverse religion just as other religions, and most of the Muslims stand against and do not support terrorism and groups like ISIS. Personally, I think extremists on both side is dangerous, either you are a Christian, Muslim or Jew. Islamophobia has become a real thing, it is used as an explanation and often justification for discrimination and racism. The Norwegian government is trying to build bridges between the people of Norway, but in the end the people has the power. Respect and tolerance does not come to exist alone, it is a two-way process, and in this case between ethnical Norwegians and people of Islamic faith.