Islamic Violence in the Media: Redefining Stereotypes - Fraser Barton

Since the establishment of religion and religious practices, a symbiotic relationship has subsequently been formed between religion, peace and violence (Bulliet 2002). Whilst such attributes often exist within religious institutions in disproportionate levels, almost all religious practices have established some aspect of their religious heritage based around acts of peace and violence (Dunn 2007). Often these qualities are seen as the defining point of such belief structures, with varying degrees ranging from wilful peace-building to fundamentalist violence evident throughout belief systems. Due to the existence of such violence, it is important to understand the relative impact these actions, often conducted by the religious minority, have upon the religious adherents and the basis of faith for which such behaviour is related. Through the actions of the religious minority, it becomes possible for outward displays of violence to surpass all religiously positive actions and sentiments associated with the religious collective (Bulliet 2002). In times this can occur to the degree by which stereotypes and prejudices may be inadvertently formed through selective exposure. It is therefore necessary to consider the belief framework which can foster such violent actions, yet simultaneously promote acts of peace (Yurdakul-Bodemann 2004). It is the visual nature of such contradictory practices which defines and shapes the overall perspective of the religion and its followers to the religious outsider. Such a distortion is exemplified in the portrayal of religion and religious events within media sources (Yenigun 2004). Throughout the past decade, a significant increase has been seen in the stereotypical portrayal and representation of Muslims throughout western media (Yurdakul-Bodemann 2004). Often such representations are not directly inclined towards marginalisation or suggestive of stereotyping, yet through selective exposure coinciding with religious violence their presence can be established.






This essay will focus primarily upon the disproportionate relationships which exist between the Islamic religion, religiously motivated Islamic violence, acts of Islamic peace and the emphasis upon which each is placed throughout media sources. The socio-political fallout towards Muslim individuals as well as the relative impact by which public perception can be shaped through such media reports will be analysed to highlight a propensity towards ‘Islamic’ violence, occurring to the detriment of the individual and the religion as a collective. Through such analysis it will be shown that despite the existence of depictions of Islamic-related violence present within all forms of media, sources of Islamic peace are equally evident although deliberately portrayed to a lesser extent. It is this marginalisation towards acts of peace and fellowship which will be the focus of this essay, along with assessing the impact of widespread media focus upon Islamic violence. Despite such occurrences it will be shown that shifts towards peace building are present in a post September 11th climate, spearheaded by the Islamic faith in an effort to combat such media negativity, counter stereotypes, and establish and realign public perception towards the positive aspects of Islam.
Throughout the last decade, political, social and religious issues surrounding Muslim individuals have become religiously dominant throughout all forms of news media (Ghazali 2008). This distinct increase in Islamic exposure predictably follows the religious implications surrounding the September 11th terrorist attacks (Ghazali 2008). The declaration of religious war by the Muslim world, proclaimed by Osama bin Laden, provided the necessary framework to initiate religious exposure through the media en masse. Through this release, it is evident that the rise in such exposure has subsequently resulted in media-induced stereotyping and misrepresentations of Islam in general. Media representations of Muslims and Islam have coincided with the marked rise in anti-Islam and anti-Muslim sentiments as a response to the increase in media-reported Islamic related violence (Ghazali 2008). Despite this increase, Islamic media attention cannot be seen as a recent occurrence, with Islamic issues having frequented western media throughout history (Ghazali 2008). What can be seen as unique and in correlation to the increase is the degree of coverage afforded to international and internet sources, with previous geographical confines being dismissed as media technology evolves.


Despite claiming a lack of bias or religious prejudice, the omnipresent nature of news media remains highly influential in shaping public perception towards Islam in the wake of Islamic related violence (Akel). This influence and perspective restructuring is achieved by media sources through various methods. Primarily by controlling the religious issues in which it focuses upon (with a proclivity towards violent, newsworthy issues) coupled with semantic manipulation of Islamic terminology, successful perspective restructuring within audiences is accomplished. It is through such a restructure in which the foundations of stereotyping and racial prejudices become engrained within the individual. This was particularly evident in media reports surrounding the 2001 Sydney Muslim gang-rapes and more recently, although in a non-violent sense yet still retaining prior violence-induced stereotyping, in the persistent influx of Asylum seekers (Rane, Ewart & Abdalla 2010). A significant factor surrounding the continued association between violence and Islam is the degree of exposure in which Islamic issues are afforded. Reports on Islamic issues far exceed that of any other religion, with the majority of Islamic exposure accompanied by aspects of violence (Media Tenor International 2008). Through persistent coupling with violent undertones, whether the issue is conflict related or not, unconscious stereotyping is compounded further (Media Tenor International 2008). Such issues are then reinforced through the media’s classification of Islam as a solitary body, effectively discarding the degree of plurality for which it encompasses and classifying Muslim’s as violent by association (Smock & Huda 2009).
Through the media’s role in portraying aspects of religious violence, manipulation of the distribution of Islamic-related violence becomes evident. It is through this selective reporting that media sources are able to focus attention towards the desired violent issues, avoiding critical non-violent aspects of the religion (Dunn 2007). A significant degree of control is also seen through the association of religious terminology with acts of violence. A classic example of how exposure has influenced not only public opinion, but has redefined religious boundaries is through the notion of media-induced Jihad (Akel). Through its initial association with Islamic violence, the role of Jihad has manifested itself deep within media representations and has since become far removed in western definitions from its original Islamic meaning (Abdullah). The media has projected such an image of the term Jihad and coupled with its misrepresentation and association with violent Islamic extremists, have effectively redefined its implications. Jihad is now known to the western world as a violent holy-war against all non-Muslims, when in fact through media intervention, its intended meaning is all but unknown to westerners (Akel).
Collectively, with disproportionate emphasis being placed upon violent actions and little to no recognition towards Islamic-related peace building, it is undeniable that the persistent stereotyping and social stigma surrounding Islam is effectively compounded by media selectivity. This is further reinforced through the interpersonal and intercultural implications which arise as secondary issues, further inhibiting accurate representations of Islamic religious structure from being formed. An example of such an issue is the development of term ‘Islamic fundamental’ and its persistent association with Islamic violence and increasing prevalence throughout media sources (Yenigun 2004). Through the continuance of such an association, the term fundamentalist and the attached ideologies have become almost exclusively associated with Islamic belief (Yenigun 2004). Although the construction of such a term was ultimately borne out of Islamic-related violence, the stereotyping of the word with the religion as a collective has resulted, despite the many internal contradictions present between adherents and fundamentalists. The sense of redefinition and reclassification coincides with that seen in the misuse of the media with the term Jihad (Akel). What is of particular importance in assessing both terms is the acknowledgement of the ability of the media to facilitate religious restructuring. Whilst such restructuring does not occur within Islamic confines, religiously foreign individuals are the target of influence. The issue surrounding religious misrepresentation and restructuring ultimately begins within the religiously ignorant, those who formulate and act upon false stereotypes built upon foundations of extraneous religious violence.







The impact of such stereotyping upon the individual often marginalises the role of the religion in favour of a reductionist perspective, whereby religion is somewhat removed from the context and Islam its representation is reduced to a primal basis of anger and violence (Rane et al. 2010). The danger of this is again in the perspective of the outsider, who becomes unwilling and eventually unable to interpret Islamic variance relating to violent actions. Campaigns against the inability to discern fundamental violence from structured belief are being undertaken by competing Muslim media outlets, although financial and global constraints are rendering the attempts ineffective (mesic.pdf). Media misinformation coupled with unintended disinformation has seen the greatest impact upon Muslim individuals. Reports concerning war or terrorist actions are often misrepresented as being Islamic based. Issues surrounding religiously irrelevant events such as the Gulf War and in recent times the Libyan Civil War have been falsely represented as being religiously motivated, resulting in further reinforced stereotypes and unwarranted social instability for Muslim individuals (Akel).
Although media-induced stereotypes have been and will continue to become firmly instilled by selective media reporting, steps are being taken to promote public awareness of the issues facing Muslim individuals. Islamic followers are challenging the stereotyping present throughout media representations of their faith and ideology in an effort to address such inaccuracies and redefine reporting styles (Ghazali 2008). One of the greatest challenges facing Islam is the initiation of religious outreach and interfaith dialogue as a bridge towards peace, reconciliation and stereotype eradication (Ghazali 2008). In an effort to increase positive inter-religious relationships, Muslim individuals (primarily in America) are showing increasing motivation towards political activism as well as increased social and interfaith activities in an attempt to dispel racial stereotypes (Ghazali 2008). This has been deemed a necessary step in a combined, combative effort to reshape public perception towards Muslim individuals (Abdullah).




It is evident that media holds an innate ability to manipulate and misconstrue issues surrounding political and social issues directly relating to Islam. Islamic social and religious directives are currently underway in an effort to form open lines of inter-religious communication and detract from stereotypical allegations of violence (Smock & Huda 2009). This is ultimately the key to positive peace-building between unrelated indifferent faith structures. Western society is not devoid of racial and religious stereotypes cultivated by eastern countries. In essence, communication between religious and social institutions is vital to allow accurate and necessary representation and avoid external (Media-related) impressions to become distorted stereotypes (Smock 2002). Prior existence of such interfaith agencies has yielded promising results, with its implementation at all levels of religious and social stratification deemed necessary in establishing peace-building and cross-cultural harmonisation (Smock 2002).
The future of religious misrepresentation within the media is confined to the extent in which religious, racial and social cohesion will allow it to progress. Critical reassessment is necessary by media sources in fully establishing the extent of religious and social conflict which is arising as a direct result of media-influence religious tension. Steps are already being undertaken by the Muslim communities in an effort to utilise media sources to reverse the development of Islamic stereotypes, instead promoting peace, fellowship and religious education (BBC News 2007). Advertising campaigns were undertaken throughout Britain promoting Islamic peace following the 2005 July subway terrorist attacks (BBC News 2007). The media campaign targeted peace, integration and assimilation in an effort to counteract the mass development of racial prejudices which followed the terrorist attacks (BBC News 2007). Further utilisation of media sources by Islamic individuals with geographical coverage comparable to that of western media would provide contrasting perspectives to counterbalance biased western media should it choose to continue.





With the multitude of issues surrounding the media’s misrepresentation of Islam, it is evident as to how concentrated religious violence can indirectly result in religious self-harm through the facilitation of subjective information transfer. Although many steps are being taken towards peace and reconciliation through accurate and diverse representations of the religious and societal contributions of Islamic followers, it is still necessary for western media sources to acknowledge an indirect contribution towards the resultant, unjustified religious violence. Through this acknowledgement, essential framework for rebuilding religious ties and establishing the necessary conduit for religious dialogue becomes available to all parties. Furthermore it becomes necessary to no longer overshadow peace-related religious practices with cyclical religious violence, whereas effectively silencing all religious-related violence can in turn reduce unjust stereotype formation and help maintain healthy inter-religious relationships.














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