After 9/11, the actions of a few began to subtly (and not-so-subtly) change the image many held of American Muslims. The UK edition of Wired magazine highlights a recent study that looks to explain how mainstream American discourse on this major religion and its adherents was distorted so drastically. University of North Carolina sociologist Christopher Bail explains in the interview:
The vast majority of organisations competing to shape public discourse about Islam after the September 11 attacks delivered pro-Muslim messages, yet my study shows that journalists were so captivated by a small group of fringe organisations that they came to be perceived as mainstream…
The voices of many pro-Muslim groups, all condemning terrorism, were silenced or ignored, while airtime was given over to anti-Muslim fringe groups. This added to religious and racial tension. As Bail puts it:
Inattention to these condemnations, combined with the emotional warnings of anti-fringe organisations, has created a very distorted representation of the community of advocacy organisations, think tanks, and religious groups competing to shape the representation of Islam in the American public sphere.
Luckily, the damage to Islam’s image doesn’t seem irreparable. According to University of Minnesota sociologist Penny Edgell, also interviewed for the article, “It seems most Americans believe that diversity is fine, as long as every one shares a common ‘core’ of values that make them trustworthy—and in America, that core has historically been religious.” Her work has shown that religion is so valued in America that Atheists are the most distrusted minority group of all. By believing in something, Muslims will surely regain American trust, maybe even in the media.
Comments 9
Dennis — January 3, 2013
Hey! Would you mind if I share your blog with my
twitter group? There's a lot of people that I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Thank you
Friday Roundup: January 4, 2013 » The Editors' Desk — January 4, 2013
[...] Distorted Discourse on Islam on Citings and Sightings [...]
John — January 13, 2013
Here it is a sign to change this secularism's new world order with that link
http://www.islam-2012-newworldorder.com
Spread that link around the world for the call to freedom of all muslim nations around the world !
Tamar — January 17, 2013
May I have a different take on this process? My observation is that since 9/11, paradoxically, there is more affirmation of Muslims as part of society in popular culture - whether it is in TV shows like "Little Mosque in the Prairie", several documentaries on popular outlets such as 60 Minutes or other more subtle cultural products. In fact, it seems that the "forces to be" in popular culture are pushing towards acceptance of Muslims as an integral part of society.
The anti-Muslim voices highlighted are mostly those of whom the media depicts as curiosity and aberration of the norm. Phenomena like the Westboro Baptist Church are not highlighted because they are the norm, even among ultra-conservative Christians, but because they are defining the abnormal.
January 2013 TSP Media Award for Measured Social Science » Citings and Sightings — February 13, 2013
[...] article has been written up as a Citing by our own Andrew Wiebe, but is well worth a thorough [...]
හලාල් සහතික මුදල් ත්රස්ත සංවිධානයන්ට ? — February 18, 2013
[...] Read More: http://thesocietypages.org/citings/2013/01/01/distorted-discourse-on-islam/ [...]
http://www.islam-2012-newworldorder.com — August 24, 2013
cold