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Essay On Islam In America

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The portrayal of Islam in American Media

Islam has become a very contested religion around the world. It is mysterious to many and has developed the connotation of being “dangerous” to others. The idea of Islamophobia has spread throughout the US, especially after certain events, including 9/11. In the book Interpreting Islam, Islamophobia is described as a “shorthand way of referring to dread or hatred of Islam- and therefore to fear or dislike all or most Muslims,” (Ruthven, pg. 53). People have taken terrorists and their attacks and have allotted them to an entire religion and ethnicity. This has caused tension to arise and escalate. This fear and mysteriousness of Islam as a minority religion in the US has cause the media to build off of the negative assumptions that are already present. The media has done a good job of doing so, which as a result verifies people’s biases and convinces consumers of this media that the ‘frightening’ things that they hear are true. I’m going to be discussing the media and how they stereotype minorities as “the other”, Islam …show more content…

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