The Muslim Gaze and the COVID-19 Syndemic
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The article deals with a multivariate analysis on the link between a pandemic event, the vunerability of people to covid-19 due the co-morbidity , the socio-economic conditions of relative deprivation in which they live and the depressive effects from the psychosocial point of view of the negative stigma affecting a group of people, specifically, Muslims in the UK as they are stereotyped through the lens of Islamophobia. The authoris approache is multidisciplinary, but with a prevalent focus on social medicine and community policies issues (see in particular the social policy plan at the end of the text). It is an original contribution to the theme of Islamophobia, since the working hypothesis is that the social stigma with which Muslims tend to be negatively represented can extend to the point that their behaviour is considered a potential source of Covid-19 outbreak.
The theoretical framework is clear and congruently exposed. However, the reference to Foucault would deserve more space, just as all contemporary philosophical reflection on biopolitics should be discussed in more detail in the text.
From a methodological point of view, the author tends to overlap two themes, which, for clarity, should be distinguished: the stereotypical representation of Muslims (the Islamophobic stigma at the time of Covid-19) and the real clinical picture of the pandemic: there are data that demonstrate that the incidence of Covid-19 is on average higher among people of Islamic faith and religious culture in conditions of deprivation (economic, cultural, housing and social) than others who belong to other ethno-religious communities? In other words, what is the average incidence of "feeling labelled" as a scapegoat in the onset of co-morbidities not strictly determined by Covid-10?
By clarifying these points (of a theoretical and methodological nature), the article would acquire greater strength in the arguments put forward and in the enunciation of a socio-health action plan which, by enhancing the active role of Muslim communities, could de-construct or reduce hostile impulses against Islam as such.
In conclusion, the article can be published with the minor revisions indicated above.
Author Response
Please see the attachment
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
This paper has a potential to be publishable after thorough and major revisions. At the moment, the paper is not ready for publication in an academic journal as it lacks in structure, sources for the many claims made therein, and overall conclusions are largely incoherent.
A number of detailed and general comments are made in the document that is attached below.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
please see the attachment
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
This is the second review and as such related to the first batch of comments and responses by the author(s).
The explicit changes that are made in the new version are largely cosmetic and marginal (in relation to the number and type of comments made). This indicates that the author(s) have not considered seriously the critique made by this reviewer in relation to the first version of the text (which needed major revisions).
Consider these few examples:
on pg 4. the review comments
"says who?" in relation to explicit and major claim that is made in the text.
the author(s) response is:
"We believe the singularization and othering of British Muslims is tacitly done in mainstream media. "
Or this:
the reviewer's comment on pg. 3:
"ok, this data is connected to ethnic belonging - how about religious belonging. Important distinctions need to be made clear - as the abstract clearly claims - this is about Muslims being more affected by pandemic than others... anecdotal reports will not cut it."
and the author's response:
"Thanks for your comment. An overwhelming majority of British Muslims are from ethnic minority background. The data on ethnic minorities and COVID-19 is reflective of British Muslims. In this paper we discuss how discrimination related to religious identity exacerbate the disadvantages due to their ethnic minority status. "
These and numerous other comments/replies demonstrate that the author(s) has(ve) not considered seriously revising or considering the gravity of comments.
The scientific merit of this article remains low due to the many unsubstantiated claims made therein. The theoretical framework is largely disconnected from the analysis of secondary data which does not clearly connect with the aim and purpose of the paper stated in the abstract or on the first page. It therefore follows that the conclusions are largely a sum of author's qualified assumptions (not necessarily wrong).
Author Response
Please see the attachment
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 3
Reviewer 2 Report
This is an improved version from the last revised version presenting a more coherent set of arguments which are largely supported by relevant research/studies. This goes to show that responding and taking seriously criticism of author's initial text can result in a publishable article. There are small adjustments that need to be made in this latest version.
1. connect the initial points connected to the role of "Muslim gaze" with the concluding argument. At this present stage, a lot of attention is given to explaining the role of "Muslim gaze" in the first half of the article without discussing its significance in the concluding part of the text. There is such a connection made at the end of pg. 13, but this could be made even more explicitly - as thus is such a major argument made in the argument.
It would also be useful to go through the reference list and make sure that all of the listed references are used/noted in the right way throughout the text.
Author Response
Many thanks for your valuable and very useful comments and encouragement. After your third time feedback, we revised citations as well as the structure of the article. We have no doubt in the help and guidance that you provided us through your critique, feedback, comments and suggestion which has resulted in improving the overall academic quality and presentation of the article significantly.
Thanks for highlighting the absence of Muslim gaze theme in the later part of the article. We have further expanded on Muslim gaze on page 10 while discussing worsening inequities and new epidemics, on page 13 while describing implications for policy, and on page 15 while concluding. This connects the structure of article and carries forward our argument in all sections of the article.
We have re-written all the references cited in the revised article so that they are coherent and reader-friendly throughout the text. We have included missing references, corrected the wrongly spelled references, and have added new and relevant academic and scientific references to substantiate the argument. Thanks for your suggestion.
