The Issue of Islamophobia in Media - Article Example

? Representations of Islam in the media Grade (29th, Oct. Representations of Islam in the media Media is a powerful tool that has the great potential of shaping the perception of the masses, regarding social, political, cultural, economic and religious subjects. While media reporting is fundamental to the creation of an informed society, there are various aspects of media reporting that may end up portraying a subject for what it is not. The issue of Islam and the Islam- Christian relationship is one of the subjects that have been marred by stereotyping and misrepresentations, thus creating a general fear of Islam religion among the non-Muslims (Woodhead, kawanami & Partridge, 2009). The issue of Islamophobia has been the subject of media reporting, especially since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the USA, which shifted the war on terrorism and terrorist activities from just mere focus on terrorists and their ideologies, to delve further into the issue of Islam as a religion, and how its doctrines are in line with the holy war, normally referred to as the Jihad. The articles are meant for the benefit of both the Christians and the Muslims, acting as a basis through which the two religions should engage in constructive dialogue, towards reverting to their earlier cordial relationship. According to (Ridgeon & Schmidt-Leukel, 2006), in both Christian and Islam religions, “there were and are times of peaceful existence” p137, meaning the same can coexist today peacefully. Thus, the articles are in the best interest of both the Islam and Christian religions, and the texts serve to present a view that the world can be peaceful. These texts are positioned to enable the readers to respond to the present media reporting regarding Islam, through presenting the knowledge that despite the differences occurring in both religions, they can still coexist (Pratt, 2005). However, the texts points to the existence of gap, in the understanding of the Islam doctrine, especially regarding Jihad, and the relationship of Muslim teachings with the radicalization of the youth. Since the September 11 occurrence, the reporting on the subject of Islam has changed both in quality and quantity, with every stream of the media highlighting or even carrying huge perks of news regarding Islam (Swindler, Duran & Firestone, 2007). The frequency and the bulk of news reporting regarding Islam since the 9/11 attack has served to create the fear or hatred of Islam as a religion on the one hand, while there has been more attempts to create a positive image regarding Islam religion on the other hand. Nevertheless, the negative reporting and stereotyping of Islam as a religion has definitely outdone the positive painting of this religion (Ridgeon & Schmidt-Leukel, 2006). The language use reinforces stereotyping, which elicits a reaction of anger and fury from the Muslims, who may in turn be motivated to react in the way that the media has stereotyped them. This has created an opportunity for diverse interpretations of the news and media reports regarding Islam. For example, the cartoon by Nicholas from the “Australian Newspaper” shows an individual reacting to the stereotyping mooted against him, through blowing up the individuals who seem to have stereotyped them (Nicholas cartoon, n.d.). Therefore, the terrorism activities might also be sparked off by the media stereotyping against the Muslims. However, while the media has been involved in extensive reporting regarding the issue of Islam and its perceived relationship to terrorism, there has been a wide support for dialogue by the Muslim world, to create an understanding of what Muslim religion is all about. According to the (World Council of Churches, 2013), a dialogue between Muslims and Christians is essential, not for the purposes of establishing religious supremacy, but as a “process of mutual empowerment of both Christians and Muslims” p6. This notwithstanding, there is a perceived roadblock that has been placed along the dialogue route by the Muslim world, through creating some reservations into discussing some very crucial matters, such as the subject of jihad and religious indoctrination in this respect (Swindler, Duran & Firestone, 2007). The dialogue between the Christians and the Muslims has been informed by the similarity in their doctrines. “Islam shares with Christianity a stress of ‘right belief’ as a hall mark for true religion” (Pratt, 2005). Running stories that points to such relationships definitely elicits a public reaction in the form of negative perception of Islam as a religion, with few of the public, especially those aligned to other religions such as Christianity being unable or even unwilling to create a distinction between the terrorist act and Islam doctrines (Ridgeon & Schmidt-Leukel, 2006). An article run on the Daily Telegraph serves to give a clear example of how media reporting of Islam is stereotyped and, at times biased, in a way that makes the public have a difficulty in differentiating the terrorism doctrines from the Islam doctrines. One of the most discussed topics regarding the Islam religion is the subject of Jihad, which is almost always associated with terrorism. A headline run by Daily Telegraph newspaper, “Austria’s Generation Jihad is Homegrown”, (Fife-Yeomans & Black, May 30, 2013), serves to create an impression that Jihad, previously a concept of the Muslim world is now emerging even in the non-Muslim world. The usage of terms such as hardliner Muslims, radicalization and conservative imams, all from the same story tells a different tale altogether, regarding what Muslim is perceived to be. According to (Woodhead, kawanami & Partridge, 2009), in Islam, “the relationship between the message and the messenger “, is often misunderstood p241. The newspaper reporting sends a message that the conservative imams were “promoting the radicalization of the second-generation Muslim youth and voluntary social exclusion” (Fife-Yeomans & Black, May 30, 2013). This reporting creates a thin line between Islam, Muslims and radicalized individuals who are normally the terrorists, through creating a link between the teaching of Islam and radical indoctrination. Just by reading the newspaper article, it is enough for anyone to come into a conclusion that the teachers of the Islam doctrines have a role to play in the creation of radical individuals, who then turns into terrorists. Thus, it is the language used in the media reporting, which has a major influence on the picture that the public will receive regarding Islam (Swindler, Duran & Firestone, 2007). References Fife-Yeomans, J & Black, S. (May 30, 2013). Austria’s Generation Jihad is Homegrown. The Daily Telegraph. Nicholas cartoon. (n.d.). Nicholas from the “Australian Newspaper.” Pratt, D. (2005). The challenges of Islam: Encounters in interfaith dialogue. Ashgate Publishing Company. Ridgeon, L. & Schmidt-Leukel, P. (2006). Islam and Interfaith relations. SCM Press. Swindler, L., Duran, K. & Firestone, R. (2007). Trialogue: Jews, Christians and Muslims in Dialogue. USA: Twenty-Third Publications. Woodhead, L., kawanami, H. & Partridge, C. (2009). Religions in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations (2nd ed.). Routledge. World Council of Churches. (2013). Striving Together in Dialogue. http://www.4shared.com/get/_3J9VtH_/EDRE532_DOCUMENT_1.html Read More