Muslim and Western publics continue to largely agree that relations between them are poor, and disagree about who is at fault – Muslims largely blame Westerners, while those in the West generally blame Muslims. A new survey by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project also finds that both sides hold negative stereotypes about the other. Westerners see Muslims as fanatical, violent, and as lacking tolerance. Muslims in the Middle East and Asia see Westerners as selfish, immoral, and greedy – as well as violent and fanatical. Still, the survey finds something of a thaw in views in the West. In the United States, Britain, France, Germany, and Russia, the perception that relations are bad between Muslims and Westerners is somewhat less common than it was five years ago. Overall, however, there has been little substantial change in this question among Muslim publics. And as in the past, Muslims express more negative views about Westerners than Americans or Europeans express about Muslims. Many Muslims have an aggrieved view of the West, blaming Western policies for the lack of prosperity in Muslim nations. At the same time, many also blame corrupt governments in Muslim countries. Perhaps reflecting the Arab Spring, in several Muslim and Western nations, people are more likely than they were five years ago to say the lack of prosperity stems from a lack of democracy. The survey, conducted March 21 to May 15, also highlights a shared concern about Islamic extremism. Majorities in the US, Israel, and across Europe are concerned about Islamic extremism in their countries. Meanwhile, most Muslims in the Palestinian territories, Lebanon, Egypt, Pakistan, and Turkey also express this view. The poll updates a number of trend questions from a 2006 Pew Global Attitudes poll that explored how Muslim and Western publics view one another. Other key findings include: * Widespread skepticism about the events of September 11, 2011 persists in predominantly Muslim nations. There is no Muslim public in which even 30 percent accept that Arabs conducted the 9/11 attacks. * Muslims in the nations polled tend to primarily identify with their religion rather than their nationality. In contrast, Christians in Europe largely identify with their nationality. However, American Christians are split: 46 percent think of themselves primarily as American and 46 percent as Christian. * There is a widespread perception in the West that Muslims do not want to assimilate. Majorities in Europe and the US say Muslims in their countries wish to remain distinct from the rest of society, instead of embracing the way of life in Western nations. * Among Muslim publics, many believe that Americans and Europeans are hostile toward Muslims. In fact, in Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, and Jordan, the belief that Americans and Europeans are hostile has become more common since 2006. * Across the predominantly Muslim nations surveyed, ratings for Jews are uniformly low. Less than 10 percent of Muslims in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Turkey, Pakistan and Indonesia express a favorable view of Jews. ** Much of this report comes from a Pew Research press release. BM
