How could the media counter islamophobia? / Siti Hajar Abd Aziz … [et al.]

The fear of Islam and the Muslims, known as “Islamophobia” which is rising in the West is a great challenge for the Muslims. Islam has been portrayed as a religion which posed a great danger to other religions. The roots of Islamophobia was said to date back from the 1960s and the 1970s, when Hollywood and television shows depicted offensive images of Arabs and Muslims. Past research too had linked Islamophobia with the Western media’s stereotype of Islam with terrorism, extremism and gender bias, exploiting the September 11, 2001 attack to spread the hatred of Islam. This paper, which is exploratory in nature, discussed the media used to spread Islamophobia and some of the recommendations available on how media could counter Islamophobia. The literature suggested that the best possible way to fight the misconception of Islam is through education, using media to provide a better understanding of Islam, especially to the people in the West. The media too need to play a constructive role in fostering tolerance and understanding among the different cultures and civilizations, combating prejudices and bridging the gap rather than widening differences.