Media and the Myths about Western Muslims :

Abstract

This dissertation aims to reveal the role played by media in Britain in promoting some myths and stereotypes about the country‘s Muslim minority group. Some media in Britain helped spreading some untrue information about Islam and Muslims related to the size of population and radicalization of Muslim youth .The work is based mainly on the analysis of some media stories and newspaper articles dealing with issues related to British Muslims. These myths contributed largely to the deterioration of the overall situation of Muslims .The rise of Islamophobia in the last few years is also shown to be strongly related to these myths and stereotypes. The study also attempts to shed light on the historical background of Muslims in the West generally and Britain particularly including the history of their immigration to Britain and the hostilities they have faced. However, the focus is on Muslim immigration after the Second World War. Muslims have been oppressed and accused, Islamophobia emerged and prejudices increased as a result. Muslims are now portrayed as violent and likewise Islam as the religion of violence, source of threat and terrorism. The work reveals that many of the views and concepts about Muslims and Islam in Britain and the West, are not real at all, they are just myths and stereotypes.