PJIR | Pakistan Journal of Islamic Research - Multan

پاکستان جرنل آف اسلامک ریسرچ

BAHAUDDIN ZAKARIYA UNIVERSITY, MULTAN, PAKISTAN
ISSN (print): 2070-0326
ISSN (online): 2618-0820

A Critique of Representation of Islam and Muslims through Western Print Media Discourse(s)

  • Muhammad Akbar Sajid/
  • Hafsa Qadir Buzdar/
  • Abdul Qadir Buzdar/
  • June 30, 2020
Keywords
Representation, Implication. Print Media, Discourse, Ideology, Hegemony, CDA, Islam and Muslims
Abstract

The present research critically decodes discourses of articles regarding the representations of Islam and Muslims. The present data has been taken from “The TIMES (daily)” form June1, 2015 to June 30, 2016. A check list of keywords was prepared by the researchers about Islam and Muslims and data was collected focusing on the keywords. The articles carrying the words were selected. Out of 67 articles which appeared during the mentioned time period, one article titled Bloodstained Religion was randomly selected for analysis. For this purpose, the study employs an amended research model to analyse data. Dijk’s analytical model has been made operational.  The analytical categories of the modified model include actor description, implicature, number game, victimization, history as a lesson, othering, lexicalization, comparison, authority, and use of disclaimer. These categories of the said model were found repeatedly in the data and hence, data was analysed accordingly.  The study concludes that western print media discourses target Islam and Muslims to propagate Islam as a violent religion and so are its followers. The sole purpose of associating Violence and extremism with Islam and Muslims is to shape the mind set of western readers that whatever Muslims claim about the peaceful nature of Islam is mere a myth. The insidious weapon of loaded language is used to make things common sense.  Muslims are represented as dangerous others who are suffering from the cancer of jihad.  This is how highly politicized terms like Islamophobia, and fundamentalism are linked with Islam, Jihad and Muslims.  Hence, print media discourses are used to propagate a desired version of reality about Islam.

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Author(s):

Assistant professor/ HOD, National University of Modern Languages, Multan Campus.

Pakistan

Lecturer, Department of English, National University of Modern Languages, Multan Campus.

Pakistan

  • drbuzdar786@gmail.com

Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan.

Pakistan

  • drbuzdar786@gmail.com

Details:

Type: Article
Volume: 21
Issue: 1
Language: English
Id: 601900872a487
Published June 30, 2020

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Copyrights

© 2008-2018 Islamic Research Centre, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.