Islamophobia and the Ethics of Media: A Cross-Cultural Study

Abstract

The paper seeks to understand how media in the globalising world has contributed to the creation, advocacy as well as reactions to Islamophobic sentiments, resulting cultural boundaries and stereotypes across the world. Functionally, Islamophobia is a shorthand term referring to the “dread or hatred of Islam” and therefore a “fear and dislike of Muslims”. The paper systematically reveals how “Islamophobia” which is itself an irrational attitude, is socially constructed with the aid of the media. While on one hand the media erects the supporting walls of Islamophobia, on the other, it also provides a platform for its criticism and reactions. The paper also sheds light on how media representations of terror attacks serves in “educating” populations of different countries and in creating a “global” sentiment. Yet, such a global sentiment, as the paper shall reveal, does not integrate the cultures; rather it widens the gap. However, if media persons instead choose to take up the issue as a moral responsibility, they can even bridge this gap and help in applying a curative balm on the global sentiment.