An Examination of Non-Muslim College Students’ Attitudes Toward Muslims

ABSTRACT

The current study enhances the understanding of campus climate for religious and worldview diversity by examining how non-Muslim college students perceive Muslims and Islam and what predispositions, environmental factors, and experiences predict their attitudes toward Muslims. Results indicate that informal engagement with diverse peers, interfaith engagement, and space for spiritual expression on campus are positively related to appreciative attitudes toward Muslims. With respect to specific worldviews, Unitarian Universalist and agnostic students tended to have more positive attitudes toward Muslims (relative to peers of other religions), and Eastern Orthodox and evangelical Christian students tended to have less appreciative attitudes.

KEYWORDS:

• Attitudes
• college students
• Islam
• Muslim

Notes

¹ Mainline and evangelical Christians were distinguished by a question asked of all Protestant Christians, “Do you consider yourself an evangelical or born-again Christian?”