People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research Larbi Ben M’h idi University-Oum El Bouaghi Faculty of Letters and Languages Department of English Representation of Islam and Muslim s in the British Press: Audience Perception and Anti -Muslim Sentiment s A Mémoire Submitted in P artial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the D egree of Master of Arts in Anglo-American Studies By: KABOUCHE Nor El Houda Supervisor : BOUDJELIT Amina Examiner: Dr. MAAMERI Fatima 2015-2016 Candidate Declaration Form I, Kabouche Nor El Houda Condidate of Master at the Department of English, Larbi Ben M’hidi University, do hereby declare that the dissertation entitled: Arab-Americans in Post 9/11 America: Revisiting the Question of Identity. In partial fulfillment of MA Degree in Anglo-American Studies is my own original work, and it has not previously, in its entirely or in part, been submitted at any University. Dedication “Never forget your parents They are the reason Why you are And Who you are” This memoire is dedicated to my parents, for showing me the path of Allah, providing me with unconditional love, supporting and encouraging me, being there for me throughout life. Acknowledgment First and foremost praise to Allah the Almighty, who enlightened the path of knowledge and accompanied me through, without his blessings none of this would happen. From that, with a great pleasure I would like to acknowledge the assistance of my supervisor Mrs. Boudejlit Amina, who has been there for me through researching and writing, and steered me in the right direction. Without her guidance this research would not have been possible. I am glad that I got the chance to acknowledge the examiner Dr. Maameri Fatima who has been an example of motivation and who spared no efforts to provide us with her scholarly guidance throughout the years. I would also like to thank the ones involved in my process of scholarship from the beginning, to the ones contributed to set forth the outcomes of this humble research, including Mr BouriHadj, and Miss Haddad Mordjana. Without forgetting to offer my gratitude to the kind people who provided me with moral support and gave me strength in times of losing hope and falling apart. On top of this list, to the most two precious people in my life, those offered me with love unconditionally, my parents who taught me that gain comes only after hard work and perseverance. My thanks and love to my siblings: my sisters, Feriel, Amina and her beautiful daughters Haylamenne and Ritel, to my brothers, Muhammad and Skander. To my future husband Imad, for being there for me with support and advice. To my father in law, Ahmed Bouderbala for his assistance. To my friends, Manel, Rania, Asma, Imene, Amira, Meha, thank you for the priceless times we have spent together that I will never forget. To my cousin zeyneb, thanks. Abstract British media interests witnessed a turning point in the few last decades, whereby Islam and Muslims became a dart to direct its arrows through. This study attempts to confirm what is reported about the representation of Islam and Muslims in the British media, that they are stigmatized and are confined to a specific rank of negative categories. Their representation becomes intensive in all types of media, especially when any local or global incident that involves Muslims takes place. The study seeks to detect a link between media coverage, in general and after a given event, with public’s perception. These matters are to be achieved through analyzing one form of the British media, the print media. A headline analysis of different British newspapers is to be used to reveal their orientation towards Islam and Muslims, and to identify the categories Muslims are restricted to. Another headline analysis is utilized to examine coverage of Islam and Muslims after the Paris attacks in two well known British newspapers, The Sun and The Guardian, to conceive the changes that occurred on the representation. Representation of Islam and Muslims in the British press is extremely negative with different degrees depending on the newspaper, with being fixed to a set of unfavorable categories. After the Paris attacks, Islam/Muslim’s coverage is more extreme in the extreme newspapers, and unexpectedly more positive in the liberal ones. The Paris attacks left behind a disturbing trauma on the Muslim community in Britain, whereby anti-Muslim sentiments were/are heightened. Key words: Public perception, Anti-Muslim sentiment, Islamophobia, Demonization, Generalizations, Prejudice, Extremism, Terrorism, Fanaticism. Résumé Les intérêts des médias britanniques ont connu à un tournant au cours des dernières décennies, de sorte que l'Islam et les musulmans sont devenus un dard ou leurs flèches sont dirigées. Cette étude tente de confirmer ce qui est rapporté à propos de la représentation de l'Islam et des musulmans dans ces médias, où l’Islam et les musulmans y sont stigmatisés, et sont confinés à un rang spécifique des catégories négatives. L'étude vise à détecter le lien entre la couverture médiatique avec le sentiment antimusulman public. Ces questions seront abordées grâce à l'analyse d'une forme très puissante des médias britanniques qu’est la presse écrite. Une analyse des titres de différents journaux britanniques révèle leur orientation contre l'Islam et les musulmans. Une autre analyse de titre est utilisée pour examiner la couverture de l'Islam et les musulmans après les attentats de Paris dans deux journaux britanniques bien connus, The Sun et The Guardian. La représentation de l'Islam et des musulmans dans la presse britannique est extrêmement négative avec toutefois différents degrés selon l’orientation idéologique du titre, avec étant fixé à un ensemble de catégories défavorables. Après les attentats de Paris, la représentation de l’Islam et des musulmans est plus violente dans les journaux extrêmes, et de façon inattendue plus ‘’clémente’’, voire positive dans les titres à obédience libérale. L'accent est mis sur la perception du public après les attentats de Paris, où les sentiments antimusulmans se sont accrus parmi le peuple britannique, résultat des compagnes médiatiques intenses menées par les différents médias par l’entretien et la confusion insidieuse de l’extrémisme religieux musulman à l’Islam dans son ensemble. Mots-clés: Perception Public, Sentiments Antimusulmans, Islamophobie, Démonisation, Généralisation, Préjugé, Extrémisme, Terrorisme, Fanatisme. ﻤﻠﺨص ﺸﻬدت ﻤﺼﺎﻝﺢ وﺴﺎﺌل اﻹﻋﻼم اﻝﺒرﻴطﺎﻨﻴﺔ ﻨﻘطﺔ ﺘﺤول ﻓﻲ اﻝﻌﻘود اﻷﺨﻴرة، ﺒﺤﻴث أﺼﺒﺢ اﻹﺴﻼم واﻝﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴن ﻫدف ﻝﺴﻬﺎﻤﻬم . ﻝذﻝك ﺘﺤﺎول ﻫذﻩ اﻝدارﺴﺔ ﺘﺄﻜﻴد ﻤﺎ ﺘردد ﻋن ﺘﻤﺜﻴل اﻹﺴﻼم واﻝﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴن ﻓﻲ وﺴﺎﺌل اﻹﻋﻼم، ﺤﻴث ﺘم ﺤﺼر ﺘﻐطﻴﺘﻬم ﻓﻲ ﻓﺌﺔ ﺴﻠﺒﻴﺔ ﻤﻌﻴﻨﺔ . ﺒﻌد ﻜل ﺤﺎدﺜﺔ ﺴواء وطﻨﻴﺔ ﻜﺎﻨت أم دوﻝﻴﺔ، ﻴﺘﻠﻘﻰ اﻹﺴﻼم و اﻝﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴن ﺘﻐطﻴﺔ ﻤﻜﺜﻔﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺠﻤﻴﻊ أﻨواع وﺴﺎﺌل اﻹﻋﻼم . ﺘﻬدف ﻫذﻩ اﻝدارﺴﺔ إﻝﻰ اﻝﺘﻌرف ﻋﻠﻰ اﻝﻌﻼﻗﺔ ﺒﻴن اﻝﺘﻐطﻴﺔ اﻹﻋﻼﻤﻴﺔ، ﺒﺸﻜل ﻋﺎم ، أو ﺒﻌد وﻗوع ﺤدث ﻤﻌﻴن، ﻤﻊ اﻝأري اﻝﻌﺎم اﻝﻤﺄﺨوذ ﻀد اﻝﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴن، وﻨوع اﻝﺼدﻤﺔ اﻝﺘﻲ ﺘ ﺘرﻜ ﻬﺎ ﻫذﻩ اﻝﺘﻐطﻴﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻝﺠ ﺎﻝﻴﺔ اﻹﺴﻼﻤﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺒرﻴطﺎﻨﻴﺎ . ﺴﻴﺘم ﺘﻨﺎول ﻫذﻩ اﻝﻘﻀﺎﻴﺎ ﻤن ﺨﻼل ﺘﺤﻠﻴل ﻨوع واﺤد ﻤن وﺴﺎﺌل اﻹﻋﻼم أﻻ وﻫﻲ وﺴﺎﺌل اﻹﻋﻼم اﻝﻤطﺒوﻋﺔ . ﺴﻴﺘم ﺘﺤﻠﻴل ﻋﻨﺎوﻴن ﻤن ﻤﺨﺘﻠف اﻝﺼﺤف اﻝﺒرﻴطﺎﻨﻴﺔ ﻝﻐرض اﻝﻜﺸف ﻋن ﻤﻴوﻝﻬم وﺘوﺠﻬﻬم ﺘﺠﺎﻩ اﻹﺴﻼم واﻝﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴن، وﺘﺤدﻴد اﻝﻔﺌﺎت اﻝﺘﻲ ﺘم ﺤﺼر اﻹﺴﻼم و اﻝﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴن ﻤن ﺨﻼﻝﻬﺎ . وﺴﻴﺘم اﺴﺘﺨدام ﺘﺤﻠﻴل اﺨر ﻜذﻝك ﻤﻘﺘﺼر ﻋﻠﻰ اﻝﻌﻨ ﺎوﻴن ﻝﻔﺤص ﺘﻐطﻴﺔ اﻹﺴﻼم واﻝﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴن ﺒﻌد ﻫﺠﻤﺎت ﺒﺎرﻴس 2015 ﻓﻲ ﺼﺤﻴﻔﺘﻴن ﺒرﻴطﺎﻨﻴﺘﻴن ﺠد ﻤﻌروﻓﺘﻴن ' ذو اﻝﺴﺎن' و ' ذو ﻗﺎردﻴﺎن' ، ﻝﻠﺘوﺼل إﻝﻰ اﻝﺘﻐﻴﻴارت اﻝﺘﻲ طأرت ﻋﻠﻰ ﻫذﻩ اﻝﺘﻐطﻴﺔ . ﺘﻤﺜﻴل اﻹﺴﻼم واﻝﻤ ﺴﻠﻤﻴن ﻓﻲ اﻝﺼﺤﺎﻓﺔ اﻝﺒرﻴطﺎﻨﻴﺔ ﺴﻠﺒﻲ ﻝﻠﻐﺎﻴﺔ ﺒدرﺠﺎت ﻤﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ وﻓﻘﺎ ﻝﺘوﺠﻪ اﻝﺼﺤﻴﻔﺔ ، ﻤﻊ ﺤﺼر اﻹﺴﻼم و اﻝﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴن ﻓﻲ ﻤﺠﻤوﻋﺔ ﻤن اﻝﻔﺌﺎت اﻝﺴﻠﺒﻴﺔ . ﺒﻌد ﻫﺠﻤﺎت ﺒﺎرﻴس، اﺘﻀﺢ أن ﺘﻐطﻴﺔ اﻹﺴﻼم و اﻝ ﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴن أﺼﺒﺢ أﻜﺜر ﺘطرﻓﺎ ﻓﻲ اﻝﺼﺤف اﻝﻤﺘطرﻓﺔ، وﺒﺸﻜل ﻏﻴر ﻤﺘوﻗﻊ أﺼﺒﺢ أﻜﺜر إﻴﺠﺎﺒﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ اﻝﺼﺤف اﻝﻠﻴﺒارﻝﻴﺔ . ﺨﻠﻔت ﻫﺠﻤﺎت ﺒﺎرﻴس وارءﻫﺎ ﺼدﻤﺔ ﺠد ﺴﻠﺒﻴﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻝﺠﺎﻝﻴﺔ اﻝﻤﺴﻠﻤﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺒرﻴطﺎﻨﻴﺎ، ﺤﻴث ﺘﻀﺎﻋﻔت ﻤﺸﺎﻋر ﻤﻌﺎداة ا ﻝﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴن. اﻝﻜﻠﻤﺎت اﻝﻤﻔﺘﺎﺤﻴﺔ : : اﻝﺘﺼور اﻝﻌﺎم، اﻝﻤﺸﺎﻋر اﻝﻤﻌﺎدﻴﺔ ﻝﻠﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴن، اﻹﺴﻼﻤوﻓوﺒﻴﺎ ( اﻝﺨوف ﻤن اﻹﺴﻼم) ،ﺸﻴطﻨﺔ اﻝﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴن، اﻝﺘﻌﻤﻴﻤﺎت اﻝﺴﻠﺒﻴﺔ، اﻝﺘﺤﻴز، اﻝﺘطرف، اﻹرﻫﺎب، واﻝﺘﻌﺼب . TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract Résumé Dedication……………………………………………………….……..ii Acknowledgment……………………………………………………….……….iii Table of Contents………………………………………………………IV General Introduction…………………………………………………………....1 CHAPTER ONE: Determinants of the British Press Intensive Coverage of Islam and Muslims: Demonization and Public Perception………………….……7-42 1- Introduction………………………………………………………...…...7 2- Islam and Muslims: Catching Eyes of the British Press…………..7 3- Historical Overview………………………………………….…………...12 4- British Press: The Tendentious Representation of Islam and Muslims ……..19 5- Public Perception: British Press Leverage behind Provoking Prejudice against Islam and Muslims………………………………………………………33 6- Conclusion…………………………………………………………..41 CHAPETR TWO: Islam and Muslims in the British Press: Paris Attacks Boosting Anti-Muslim Sentiments………………………............................43-91 1- Introduction……………………………………………..……….......43 2- Islam and Muslim Representation in the British Press: A Headline Exemplar………………………………………………...........................43 3- The British Press following the Paris attacks: Headline Exemplar……......70 4- The Paris Attacks: Boosting Anti-Muslim Sentiments.……........................86 5- Conclusion………………………………………..…………………….89 General Conclusion…………………………………………………………….…..92 Works cited………………………………………………………………………97 1 General Introduction Media, in its wide-ranging usage and forms is one of the most informative instruments that people employ to acquire knowledge from. Acquaintance that media provides people with is