Full Description
(Mis)Representing Islam explores and illustrates how élite broadsheet newspapers are implicated in the production and reproduction of anti-Muslim racism. The book approaches journalistic discourse as the inseparable combination of 'social practices', 'discursive practices' and the 'texts' themselves from a perspective which fuses Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) with Edward Said's critique of Orientalism. This framework enables Richardson to (re)contextualise élite journalism within its professional, political, economic, social and historic settings and present a critical and precise examination of not only the prevalence but also the form and potential effects of anti-Muslim racism. The book analyses the centrality of van Dijk's ideological square and the significance and utility of stereotypical topoi in representing Islam and Muslims, focusing in particular on the reporting of Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Israel/Palestine, Algeria, Iraq and Britain.
This timely book should interest researchers and students of racism, Islam, Journalism and Communication studies, Rhetoric, and (Critical) Discourse Analysis.
Contents
1. List of figures, graphs and tables; 2. Acknowledgements; 3. Introduction; 4. 1. Islam, Orientalism and (racist) social exclusion; 5. 2. The discursive representation of Islam and Muslims; 6. 3. The ideological square I: 'Muslim negativity'; 7. 4. The ideological square II: 'The West' as civiliser; 8. 5. British Muslims: Difference, discord and threat in domestic reporting; 9. 6. The Iraq Debacle: The reporting of Iraq during the UNSCOM stand-off; 10. 7. Conviction, truth, blame and a shifting agenda: The reporting of Algeria; 11. 8. Conclusion; 12. Notes; 13. Bibliography; 14. Index of names; 15. Index of subjects
