In this paper, the framing and representation of Muslims while covering terror issues in the UK media are examined. The impact on the Muslim community, their responses, and Islamophobia are explained. A comparison is made between the UK and US framing and lastly, contradictory findings in several research studies are discussed.
Media coverage on terror includes specific framing methods that emphasized the relation between Islam and terror incidents. Since media has a crucial role to shape society’s understanding, the method of framing in such a way conduces disintegration among society in terms of Muslim and non-Muslim by focusing on the “us” “them” distinction and emphasize a connection between Islam and terrorism.
Terror itself is a controversial issue that many states try to deal with and the media has the ability to influence counterterror endeavors as well as society’s perspective. “Communication and media are as important to the terrorist and the government as the actual act of violence itself. Therefore analysis of news coverage and its implications are crucial for counterterrorism efforts”. That’s why it is significant to cover the subject especially for the United Kingdom who has experienced organised violence by the extra-state, interstate, and intrastate actors. However, since this paper focuses on framing that specifies a relationship between Islam and terror in the UK, the 7/7 (2005) attack on civilians in London is the most relevant one to study, especially after the 9/11 (2001) attack in the United States.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Framing terror with Islam in the United Kingdom
3. The Effects on Muslims and Islamophobia
4. Comparison with the United States
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines how the portrayal of terror incidents in the UK media, specifically following the 2005 al-Qaeda attacks, employs framing techniques that link Islam to terrorism. It investigates how this media construction promotes an "us vs. them" distinction, fostering Islamophobia and social disintegration, while comparing these patterns to the media landscape in the United States.
- Media framing techniques and social construction of reality
- The stigmatization of Muslims in British press coverage
- The role of Islamophobia in shaping societal attitudes
- Comparative analysis of UK and US media responses to terrorism
- The long-term impact of media portrayal on the Muslim community
Excerpt from the Book
Framing terror with Islam in the United Kingdom
In the UK media coverage, terror-related issues are attributed to Islam especially after the al-Qaeda attacks on civilians in London in 2005. This framing is done in a way that triggers discrimination for Muslims in the UK. Not only for terror incidents but also in general, Muslims are portrayed in the British press as ‘other’ like an outgroup of the society rather than as an accepted part of society and it is related to orientalist view (Rane et al., 2014, 33). For the acts of violence, “Islamists are more often framed as a criminal and violent sub-set of a community, and far-right actors are more likely to be framed as mentally ill or evil” (Parker et al., 2018, 125). In sum, Muslims are framed as distinct and related to terrorist violence in media reports.
Particular press groups that contribute to the ‘us’ and ‘them’ framework. For example, “The Daily Mail and The Sun published the most number of stories related to the issue (90 percent), and were the most discriminatory, and more than often jingoistic, in their framing, imagery and language” (Sian et al., 2012, 244). To illustrate, in the Daily Mail (16/10/11, page 24), there is an explicit Islamophobic expression ‘Muslims of all walks of life could potentially be a threat’ (Sian et al., 2012). Islamophobic reporting leads to construct Muslim as outsider and as a domestic threat to the streets of Britain. Furthermore, the BBC broadcast illustrates the level of distortion by reinforcing Islamophobia with the stories analysed as hostile, discriminatory, and derogatory in the negative framing of Muslims in the British press (Sian et al., 2012). A significant amount of stories related to Muslims is consisting of the one that specifically linked to the threat of terrorism, or Islam as dangerous, backward religion rather than Islam as part of multiculturalism or diversity topics. Negative stories about the clash of civilization between Islam and the west, and Muslims as threats outweigh the positive stories (Sian et al., 2012). Briefly, the UK media emphasizes the relation between violent acts especially terror with Islam, and leads disintegration with Islamophobia among the society by framing Muslims as ‘outsiders’ and domestic threats who can potentially give harm by living in the British streets.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the research context, highlighting the role of media framing in shaping social reality and the specific impact of linking terrorism to Islam in the United Kingdom.
2. Framing terror with Islam in the United Kingdom: This section analyzes how British media outlets portray Muslims as an "other" and potential threats, contributing to discriminatory narratives following the 2005 London attacks.
3. The Effects on Muslims and Islamophobia: This chapter explores how negative media representation reinforces societal Islamophobia and inflicts psychological and social burdens on British Muslim communities.
4. Comparison with the United States: This part contrasts UK and US media practices, noting differences in thematic versus episodic coverage and the role of global versus local scope in framing terrorist threats.
5. Discussion: The chapter addresses contradictory research findings that suggest occasional shifts in media representation, while noting that these changes may be politically motivated rather than reflective of a genuine reduction in Islamophobia.
6. Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes the study's findings, emphasizing the urgent need for media accountability in preventing the dangerous societal "us vs. them" distinction.
Keywords
Media Framing, Islamophobia, Terrorism, United Kingdom, al-Qaeda, Social Construction, Representation, Muslims, Orientalism, Counter-terrorism, Media Coverage, Integration, Othering, News Discourse, Multiculturalism
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on how the media in the United Kingdom frames terror incidents, particularly in relation to Islam, following the 2005 al-Qaeda attacks in London.
What are the central thematic fields?
The core themes include media studies, sociology of religion, political communication, the construction of "otherness," and the social impact of Islamophobia.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to understand how specific media framing techniques contribute to societal disintegration and discriminatory attitudes toward Muslims in the UK.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The work employs a literature-based analytical approach, synthesizing existing research studies and media analyses to compare framing models in the UK and the US.
What is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main sections analyze the mechanisms of negative media framing, the detrimental effects on the Muslim community, and a comparative study of American and British media perspectives on terrorism.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include Media Framing, Islamophobia, Terrorism, Social Construction, and Media Representation.
How does the media distinguish between Muslim and non-Muslim terrorists?
The research notes that while Muslim terrorists are often framed as part of a global, religious threat, non-Muslim perpetrators are frequently portrayed as "loners" or mentally ill individuals.
What role does the "us versus them" framework play in this study?
It acts as a primary tool for media discourse that marginalizes Muslims, excluding them from mainstream society and portraying them as a domestic threat.
Is there evidence of positive changes in media representation?
The discussion section identifies some contradictory findings suggesting limited positive shifts, though the author suggests these are often driven by strategic political changes rather than inherent social progress.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Müge Uğuz (Autor:in), 2020, Framing Terror with Islam. Media Coverage in the United Kingdom after al-Qaeda Attack in 2005, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/987293
