Muslims and media: perceptions, participation, and change

All the Muslims Fit to Print: Racial Frames as Mechanisms of Muslim Ethnoracial Formation in theNew York Timesfrom 1992 to 2010

“…I adopt this approach to examine the framing of Muslims in the New York Times before and after 9/11 and to test whether there is evidence of a racial project and, if so, which racialized meanings are attributed to Muslims. Previous studies of Muslim representations in the media present three competing hypotheses: (1) racialized portrayals of Muslims increased after 9/11 (Abrahamian 2003; Bail 2012; Nacos and Torres-Reyna 2007; Poole and Richardson 2006; Powell 2011; Trevino, Kanso, and Nelson 2010), (2) racialized portrayals of Muslims always existed (Shaheen 2012) and were as prevalent before 9/11 as they were after 9/11 (Bleich et al 2016), and (3) portrayals of Muslims diversified after 9/11, so positive or more nuanced portrayals of Muslims increased (Alsultany 2012; Aydin and Hammer 2010). These competing finding are due in part to the notable differences among studies, from the type of media analyzed (e.g., television, film, newspapers, magazines) to the ideological bent of the media institution analyzed (e.g., Fox News, Infowars, the BBC).…”

“…After all, the long trajectory of racialized representations of Arabs and Muslims is well documented (Alsultany 2012;Cainkar 2009;Love 2017;Said 1997;Selod 2018;Shaheen 2012). In previous studies, the evidence for a new racial project was mixed (Alsultany 2012;Aydin and Hammer 2010;Bail 2012;Bleich, Nisar, and Abdelhamid 2016;Powell 2011;Saeed 2007). In this article, I organize previous studies and compare them against processes of Muslim representation in a paper of record, the New York Times, following previous studies that identify the Times as a reliable archival source (Amenta et al 2009;Bleich et al 2016;Gonzalez-Sobrino 2019;Silva 2017), what Stoker called, "a trendsetter for the US press, [that] helped validate objective reporting" (p. 7).…”

“…Here, Islamophobia is conceptualized not as a subconscious pathology but rather as an active set of racializing practices, the racial projects of ethnoracial formation (Ansari and Hafez 2012; Elver 2012; Garner and Selod 2015; Husain 2017; Love 2017; Maghbouleh 2017; Meer 2013; Rana 2007; Selod 2018; Volpp 2002; Zopf 2018). These practices are mutually constituted by structural and cultural processes through laws and policies, discourses and symbolic representations, that draw on racist ideology to render Muslims as urgent subjects of public concern (Alsultany 2012; Aydin and Hammer 2010; Chon and Arzt 2005; Saeed 2007; Said 1979, 1997; Selod 2018; Shaheen 2012; Stubbs 2004; Yazdiha 2014). These representations have profound effects on publics’ perceptions of threat, driving support for racialized policies that subjugate Muslims (Baum and Potter 2008; Ciftci 2012; Das et al 2009).…”

Exploring the Meanings ofHijabthrough Online Comments in Canada

“…Due to the popularity and tremendous growth of digital media, a number of studies have examined subject areas that include Muslims and the blogosphere (Varisco, 2010), Muslim identity and cyber-mufti (Zaman, 2008), the involvement of Muslims in media production (Aydin & Hammer, 2010), Muslim engagement with the Internet (Sands, 2010), online hijab stores and fashion (Tarlo, 2010), and the Internet subculture of Indonesian face-veiled women (Nisa, 2013). The vast majority of these studies focus primarily on Muslim Internet engagement (e.g.…”

Unveiling the American-Muslim press: News agendas, frames, and functions

“…As Aydin and Hammer (2010) noted, 'The othering of Muslims and the objectification experienced by Muslims in media products are of serious political and scholarly concern with implications for the lives of those involved' (p. 3). A vital aspect of the 'othering' and 'objectification' of Muslims is their treatment as a monolithic society, devoid of internal contours and fault lines.…”