Media and Islam Essay

An area of popular research throughout the last twain decades is the study of mainstream media and its depiction of individuals that follow the Islamic faith. It is transparent that Islamics interpret countless stereotypes through the lens of western media consumers. This test get out sidle up events occurring after the September 11, 2001 World Trade Centre attacks and ultimately ostentation the Islamophobia drive home within politics. It is through this research that I will synopsis the stereotypes overriding whilst providing contemporary media manakins. Over altogether, this essay will argue that Islamophobia is familiar in contemporary westernmostern media however, combating this Islamophobia is to a fault obviously visible. Furthermore, due to certain media structures such(prenominal) as corporate ownership dominance and cultural consensus, Islam is viewed as the rival of Western culture. Over wholly, this essay will focus on the 2 evident spectrums of media i nsurance coverage of Muslims and their trust as a topic of discourse. Through this essay I will aim to conclude that though extreme Islamophobia is prevalent in Western media, there is many media outlets that look to travel by Islamophobia and Xenophobia altogether. The media coverage that will be analyzed will be high set outing Quebecs semipolitical party Parti Quebecois proposal for secular swops to the Quebec adopt and the youthful capital of Massachusetts battle of endurance contest Bombing media coverage. I will begin this essay by defining the phrase Islamophobia and its significance within Western media coverage. Islamophobia is an ideology that radiates negative meanings to Muslims and Islam, thereby giving rise to negative attitudes and loaded practices against Muslims and Islam (ethnic). It is the fear of followers of the Islamic piety and negative views on the religion as a whole. Islamophobia leads to many negative depictions of Muslims. Moreover Islamophobia i s described as the belief that Islam is inferior to the west (GoGale). Also, it is studied as, barbaric, irrational, primitive and sexist Islam is seen as violent, aggressive, threatening, supportive of terrorism and engaged in a clash of civilizations (GoGale). If unriv totallyed were to have the same views against a nonher religion or ethnic radical in the West, it would be considered racism. However, as utter by Gema Martin-Munoz, this is not the display case with Islam. She claims Hostility towards Islam is used to justify discriminatory practices against Muslims and the exclusion of Muslims from mainstream society. Anti-Muslim hostility is seen as natural ornormal (GoGale).Islamophobia and the HijabIt is one of the reasons that the hijab is a controversial solvent in contemporary Western societies and media. The wish of knowledge of reasoning freighter the decision of Muslim women to cover their heads leads individuals to assume that these specified women are laden as a result of finish up sexism in the Muslim religion. Also, Islamophobia is also prevalent with regards to the hijab as many Western media outlets describe it as a symbol of terrorism (examples will be described shortly). Overall, Islamophobia in the West is the fear and negative depiction of Muslims and Islamophobia with regards to the hijab is to view one choosing to wear it as a representation of oppression and terrorism. I will begin this voice by summarizing the events for the both aforementioned political events. First, the Boston Bombing occurred on April 15, 2013 at the Boston Marathon. Two brothers were considered the alleged criminals for building and planting two pressure cooker bombs that exploded near the finish line of the marathon. This caused the death of iii tribe and wounded more than 260 (Boston Marathon Bombing rummy Seeks sackful of Some Charges). Tamerlan Tsarnaev aged 26, and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev aged 20, were involved in a patrol chase that evidently resul ted in the death of the older brother, Tamerlan, during a police shootout, while Dzhokhar was eventually caught hiding in the Boston town of Watertown (Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect Seeks Dismissal of Some Charges). put off intelligence information stated, governing body say he and his older brother, Tamerlan, ethnic Chechens from Russia who emigrated to the United States as children, intend and carried out the attack to retaliate against the U.S for its elaboration in Muslim countries (Kelly). administration said Dzhokhar had scratched anti-American messages on the inside of the boat, including The U.S Government is killing our artless civilians and We Muslims are one body, you hurt one you hurt us all after the death of his older brother (Kelly). Radical Islamic views were moderateed the causative tail end the attacked by the alleged criminals. Further, the younger Tsarnaev brother was caught a fewer old age after the bombing and is now facing over 30 federal counts , including the use of weapons of mass destruction (Boston Marathon Bombing Suspect Seeks Dismissal of Some Charges). Power is a critical aspect of gaining an consultation for the media. Individuals and groups that possess spot are deemed newsworthy. These organizations become the center of attention and training during political events and are the dominant hub of information that consumers are exposed to. This forthwith correlates to Fox News as it holds a large amount of power in regards to television. Specifically, in 2013 Fox News was the number one class-conscious news station for the twelfth consecutive year. As studied by TVNEWSER, Fox News remained on top in 2013, capping off its twelfth consecutive year as the most-watched cable news network among two total viewers and A25-54 viewers (Knox). This ranking is due to its news glut being exposed to almost two million consumers daily (Knox).Ultimately, this creates a problem, as Fox News is an obvious right wing tradition alist news channel. It is to be noted that Fox News is commonly witnessed employ the news channel to express the partisan beliefs of its owners and news team. The power Fox News holds has played an integral part in the framing of Muslims consequent the Boston Marathon Bombing attacks. Framing is defined as the manner in which we talk close to an issue or event that puts it into a context, and it has important implications for public thinking and the alternatives available for addressing the issue (Ridout, 150). Following the bombings in Boston, framing was observed through Fox News and its media outlets. Specifically, on April 20th, 2013 ( 5 days after the bombing) Fox News similars indirectly claimed Islam as the evident gene behind the motive of both of the main suspects, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. The heading during this specified newscast was The spirit of A Terrorist, Factors that May Lead to a Radical Path. As the newscast prolonged correspondents were expressing radical frames to the brothers. Specifically, they act to frame the plot and reason behind the alleged attack to directly correlate to the Islamic religion of the two brothers. As the panel discussed, one correspondent questioned the wife of the older brother, Tamerlan, and her involvement in the alleged plot. He stated, I just wonder that if nether questioning she can honestly say that she had no idea that her husband who spent a year away and prayed five times a day, that she had no indication that he was capable of this (The Mind of a Terrorist). Stating this, the correspondent undeniably created a relation to terrorism and the Islamic act of praying five times a day. This correspondent enclose the bombing to put terrorism in the same context as thereligion of Islam. Additionally, with the large consumer amount of Fox News, this opinion had reached a number of concourse providing them with a framed context on a political event. Fox News go along their coverage of the Bosto n Bombing whilst focusing on and stressing the Muslim religion of both the Tsarnaev brothers. At the same time, media outlets that disregarded their religion were ignored as importance of their Islamic roots grew rapidly. Overall, the power of Fox News in contemporary media enables the outlet as newsworthy, regardless of the content media and partisan biases present within the origins of the organization as a public outlet.Though the Boston Marathon Bombings were encircled just about the fact that there were two potent Muslim victims, the media found a way to deepen the Islamophobia already prevalent with attacks on the hijab. Specifically, the wife of Tamerlan, Katherine Russell was a convert who wore the hijab. This directly made her a terrorist in the eyes of Fox News and its correspondents. One example of this was witnessed by Ann Coulter, a Fox News correspondent and avid Conservative. When speaking most Katherines knowledge of her husbands alleged plans to bomb the Boston M arathon, she spoke about her extremely negatively. When her peers stated that Katherine must have had ideas that Tamerlan was having terrorist-like thoughts, Coulter stated, I preceptort care if she knew about this. She ought to be in prison for wearying a hijab (Insider). This is a clear example of cultural consensus. As explained by Professor Katherine Bullock, the cultural elite in Western society deem the Western states as the hero, the Muslims as the villain and the citizens of the state as clear victims (Bullock). Also, it is important to note that with regards to Fox News, there is a lack of mutation in views. The news channel has correspondents that share similar views and as a result, the consumer receives and interprets one-sided media coverage. This is a clear problem with Western media outlets as the lack of diversity supports bias opinions. Overall, Fox News is a prime example of the stereotypes Muslims reflection in Western contemporary societies.The Parti Quebeco is Quebec involve ProposalDifferentiating greatly from that of the Western media views on the Boston Marathon Bombings, the media coverage of the proposed Charter changes by the Parti Quebecois was vastly different. The media coverage around the partysdisapproval of overt and conspicuous phantasmal symbols dim within the regimen was relatively negative. This evidently shows a different military position showing that that combating of Islamophobia is prevalent in some Western media outlets. The change to the Quebec Charter was issued by the Parti Quebecois a popular political party of Quebec. In early September of 2013, the Parti Quebecois held a press conference at the National Assembly in Quebec City (global). At this press conference, the Bernard Drainville, the minister of religion responsible for Democratic Institutions and Active Citizenship discussed how his party planned to shed light on phantasmal allowances and Quebec values (global). With the ultimate goal of sacr ed disinterest of the state, he stated, these offer harmonious relations and social cohesion for a Quebec that is increasingly multiethnic and multireligious (global). In other words, the Part Quebecois aimed to eliminate large religious symbols identifying a specific individuals religious beliefs and values. It is to be noted that the main purpose of this mandate was to instill comparability between both sexes along with religious neutrality within the government institutions of the province of Quebec.These five proposals are as listed 1. Enshrine the questions of religious accommodation in the Quebec Charter of Rights and Freedoms by outlining the separation of religion and state, the religious neutrality of the state and the secular nature of its institutions, taking into account our common historical heritage 2. Ensure that religious neutrality for government employees in the carrying into action of their duties is established in law 3. Outline what is considered conspicuous religious symbols for government employees during working hours (the proposal is subject to a right of withdrawal for a period of up to five years, renewable for certain sectors) 4. Ensure that the face is visible when giving or receiving government services 5. Establish a policy to implement the religious neutrality of the state and the management of religious accommodation for government agencies. Drainville concluded the press conference by stating, Our proposals will be a source of greater to a lower placestanding, harmony and cohesion for all Quebec and all Quebecers, regardless of their religion or origin (global). This was an evident political issue, as all public servants were no longer allowed to publicly abetter _or_ abettor themselves with the religions they previously followed. However, public servants were allowed to wear inconspicuous religion symbols such asnecklaces, rings or earrings with religious symbols, e.g the Star of David (global). The controversy arose a s individuals completed that the Parti Qubcois would be preventing individuals from wearing things such as a headscarf, hijab, turban or kippa (global). This evidently would strip public servants of the fundamental rights stated under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Specifically, the Fundamental Rights section within the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms states, 2. Everyone has the following fundamental freedoms(a) freedom of conscience and religion(b) freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication(c) freedom of peaceful accumulation and(d) freedom of association. (Charter)The proposed Quebec Charter changes would contradict those within the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This caused a clear backlash as individuals stated that the charter changes were unconstitutional and racist. The reproof witnessed through media ultimately showed the combating of the Islamophobia of the Parti Que becois. Canadian newspapers and stations discussed this issue heavily and conclusively noted this new proposal as racist and xenophobic. CBC News inform differing opinions than that of the Part Quebecois evidently labeling the Charter proposal as racist. For example, CBC interviewed William Steinburg, the mayor of Montreal town Hamstead as he stated, We will not comply with a racist and immoral law and further continued stating, In the event that the Quebec government passes this odious bill, which will force people to choose between their religious beliefs and their jobs, it will not be implemented in Hampstead (CBC).Steinburg irrefutably is combating Islamophobia and Xenophobia altogether that was brought upon by the Parti Quebecois. Another CBC article reported on the hijab and its relation to the proposed secular Quebec Charter as they interviewed non-Muslim university professors donning the hijab to aver against it. It interviewed Nora Jaffary of Concordia University and M cGill Universitys Catherine Lu. Both women chose to wear the hijab to protest the Charter changes. Nora Jaffary stated that for many Muslim women that reside in Quebec, the hijab and veiling in general, is notsomething that is forced upon them by parents or husbands and continued by stating that the proposed ban on the hijab would target groups of minorities in the Canadian province of Quebec (cbc). Specifically she believed it would target and single out Muslim women (cbc). The article continued by stating that if more people joined the protest alongside Jaffary and Lu, there could be a major impact on the proposed legislation. Overall, CBC News showed its stance on the proposed secular Charter changes in Quebec. The media outlet continuously spoke against the Charter changes and advocated the fundamental freedoms of Muslim women and all other minorities that would be stripped of their right to practice religion as inhabitants within Canada. News coverage by a different Canadian me dia outlet showed similar results. Specifically, when analyzing Global News media coverage of the Quebec Charter changes, it was evident that Global News also looked to eliminate discrimination and as a result, Islamophobia. For example, a post doctoral individual from Concordia University, Emmanuelle Richez, commented on this Charter change with negativity as he stated, So theyre not saying it, but its going to be more constraining for people that are not part of the religious majority. Overall, the Parti Quebecois stated that it was attempting to move towards religious equality, however, it was attempting to ban fundamental freedoms of the Canadian people of religious freedom and forcing assimilation.