Jihad, Race and Western Media, Post-September 11

Abstract

Abstracte article examines jihad within what is loosely referred to as "the Western imagination." rough the analysis of both popular stereotypes and the broader historical context of religious antagonism and (neo)colonialism, the paper discusses both contemporary political rhetoric and a pair of liberal post September-11 political cartoons. While European and North American political leaders have often stereotyped Muslims in order to justify various "axis of evil" bandwagons and further political and economic interests throughout the Islamic Crescent, I argue here that the liberal media's critiques also often rely on fallacious embodied stereotypes. e pervasiveness of such representations has important implications for the lived realities and human rights of both Muslims and non-Muslims globally because these stereotypes mask Muslim's legitimate concerns regarding (neo)colonialism and because of the human rights abuses that result from Islamophobia.

Teaching Jihad: Developing Religious Literacy through Graphic Novels

“…One such misrepresented concept is jihad and its common representation in the West as a "holy war," rather than its more accurate Arabic meaning of struggle, strive, or exert effort (Esposito 2010;Fatoohi 2009;Hathout 2006;Kabbani 2010). This distortion of jihad has its roots in Orientalist discourses that characterise Islam as threatening and violent (Esposito 2002;Said 1997;Tagg 2009). Therefore, given the long-standing demonization of jihad in Western contexts, it is essential that we provide an overview of its complexity prior to exploring its depiction in graphic novels.…”

“…Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors" (Holy Qur'an 2:190). Discourses and representations of jihad have failed to make the distinction between armed jihad as defensive, as stated in the Qur'an, and the Arabic word for war, qital (Tagg 2009). Further problematizing this distinction are fringe movements that have galvanized followers and incited violence worldwide for ideological, socio-political, and economic reasons (Aslan 2011;Ramadan 2009).…”

“…Further to this, other derogatory portrayals of Islam and Muslims are reinforced through the long-standing tradition in Western film, literature, cartoons, news outlets, and theatrical productions typecasting Muslims as exotic, dangerous, and untrustworthy (Esposito and Kalin 2011; Kincheloe and Steinberg 2004;Said 1997;Scott 2012;Shaheen 1994Shaheen , 2003Tagg 2009). These misrepresentations shape non-Muslims' extant perceptions (Esposito and Mogahed 2007) and raise concerns about the ways in which Muslims and Islamic concepts are portrayed in schools (Liou and Cutler 2020).…”