DISCRIMINATION AND HATE SPEECH AGAINST MUSLIM REFUGEES – LEGISLATION AND PRACTICE

Emilia Alaverdov; Miranda Gurgenidze; Milica Bošković

doi:10.5937/ptp2603168A

Authors

Emilia Alaverdov Georgian Technical University, Faculty of Law and International Relations, Tbilisi, Georgia https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8153-7720
Miranda Gurgenidze Georgian Technical University, Faculty of Law and International Relations, Tbilisi, Georgia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9247-2272
Milica Bošković University Union – Nikola Tesla, Faculty of Diplomacy and Security (FDB), Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3421-7107

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5937/ptp2603168A

Keywords:

discrimination, hate speech, Islamophobia, migration management, human rights protection

Abstract

This paper examines discrimination and hate speech directed at Muslim refugees in contemporary democratic societies, with particular focus on the gap between formally guaranteed human rights and their actual implementation in practice. Although international and national legal frameworks guarantee freedom of religion, equality, and refugee protection, Muslim migrants increasingly experience stigmatization, exclusion, and hostility in everyday social, political, and institutional contexts. The study proceeds from the premise that these phenomena should not be understood as isolated prejudice or sporadic xenophobia, but rather as a structural and systemic phenomenon embedded in political discourse, media narratives, and administrative practices. Drawing on interdisciplinary theoretical perspectives from law and sociology, the research conceptualizes discrimination as cumulative, institutional, and intersectional, operating through both direct and indirect mechanisms. Using qualitative methods—including content and discourse analysis, comparative case studies, and secondary empirical data—the paper analyzes developments in Germany, the United States, and Australia to identify recurring patterns of migration securitization, labor market exclusion, and symbolic stigmatization of Muslim refugees. Particular attention is devoted to the role of hate speech and digital platforms in normalizing hostility and legitimizing restrictive migration policies.

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