Terror, Islam and the Media

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

In a post-9/11 age of ISIS and Boko Haram, suicide bombers and 'lone wolves', it is difficult to switch on the television or pick up a newspaper and avoid intense discussions or debates centered around terrorism, Islam and Muslims. So, how does the media shape and influence our attitudes towards these subjects? Why do so many Muslims in the West believe they are the victims of media bias? Are there double standards in the coverage of Muslim vs non-Muslim 'terrorists'? And how big a role does Hollywood and the entertainment industry play in perpetuating stereotypes of the 'angry Arab'? This course will critically examine the mainstream media's depiction of individual Muslims as inherently violent and terror-prone and of Muslim communities as monoliths, intrinsically opposed to 'Western values'. The goal of the course is to identify and understand media biases and double standards in relation to Islam and Muslims, using both the dominant theoretical perspectives in media studies, such as framing, and high-profile, real-world case studies from television, print and online.