Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and the Media: When Prejudice Runs Amok

Yıl 2024, Cilt: 7 Sayı: 1, 1 - 13, 27.06.2024

Raymond Taras

https://doi.org/10.47951/mediad.1497590

Öz

A narrow definition of Islamophobia flags religion as playing the central part in anti-Muslim prejudice. But a broader term bundles ethnic, national and cultural prejudices together with religious ones; the latter are gradually becoming disconnected from the cultures in which they were embedded. In measuring degrees and levels of Islamophobia, this article turns to the mass media to understand how they have amplified and at times echoed calls for anti-Muslim prejudice. Islam has become culturalized and racialized by both adherents and antagonists alike, lending a massive landscape for social media in particular to exploit. Qualitative data seem best equipped to assay popular attitudes and behavior towards Muslims. And their relevance is especially significant in shaping female Muslim experiences. To be sure, Islam is placed to take a key part in the making of a post-hegemonic international order. Highlighting tolerance towards others is critical rather than using other attributes to shore up the political legitimacy of a state. To categorize Islamophobes as racists makes for bad politics, but it can enhance legitimacy.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Muslims, Media, Discrimination, Prejudice, Religion, Culture

Teşekkür

I would like to express my gratitude to the editor Dr. Metin Eken and two anonymous reviewers for their constructive suggestions.

Yabancı Düşmanlığı, İslamofobi ve Medya: Önyargılar Çığırından Çıktığında

Öz

İslamofobi’nin dar bir tanımı, Müslüman karşıtı önyargılarda dinin merkezi bir rol oynadığını vurgular. Ancak daha geniş bir tanım, etnik, ulusal ve kültürel önyargıları dini olanlarla birleştirir; bu dini önyargılar, gömülü oldukları kültürlerden giderek kopmaktadır. Bu makale, İslamofobi derecelerini ve seviyelerini ölçerken, kitle medyasına başvurarak onların Müslüman karşıtı önyargıyı nasıl güçlendirdiğini ve zaman zaman bu çağrılara nasıl yankı yaptığını anlamaya çalışır. İslam, hem bağlıları hem de karşıtları tarafından kültürel ve ırksal bir hale getirilmiş olup, özellikle sosyal medyanın sömürmesi için geniş bir alan yaratmıştır. Nitel veriler, Müslümanlara yönelik popüler tutum ve davranışları değerlendirmede en iyi donanıma sahip gibi görünmektedir. Ve bu veriler, özellikle Müslüman kadınların deneyimlerini şekillendirmede önemli bir role sahiptir. Kuşkusuz, İslam, post-hegemonik bir uluslararası düzenin oluşumunda kilit bir rol oynamaya hazırdır. Başkalarına karşı hoşgörüyü vurgulamak, bir devletin siyasi meşruiyetini desteklemek için diğer özellikleri kullanmaktan daha kritiktir. İslamofobikleri ırkçı olarak kategorize etmek kötü bir politika olsa da meşruiyeti artırabilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Yabancı Düşmanlığı, İslamofobi, Müslümanlar, Medya, Ayrımcılık, Önyargı, Din, Kültür

Kaynakça

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