January 28, 2021, Thursday (10:30 AM)

The power of news media in shaping up a discourse in any society is evident. Much of what is known about Islam and Muslims in Western societies is derived from the mass media. The onslaught of Islamophobia in the Western media has greatly resulted in the marginalization of Muslim community across the world. With Globalization on rise, it is the need of the hour to monitor and call out this un-ethical journalistic practice of framing Muslims for the political gains. The very existence of Islamophobia is something to be addressed. The degree to which individuals expressing Islamophobia have particular views of Muslims in their communities, Muslims globally, and Islam as a religion is genuine and quantifiable with measurable outcomes. A forum for scholarly debate is essential to acknowledge the mass media’s capacity for advocacy and breaking free from stereotyped shackles. The aim of this webinar “Islamophobia and the Western Media” is to enlighten the audience regarding this mediated Islamophobia in the West from the platform of Department of Mass Communication, Virtual University of Pakistan.

The objectives of the webinar are as under:

• To talk about the prevalence of Islamophobia discourse in the Western Media.
• To discuss how the Islamophobia in Western media has affected the Muslim identity.
• To explore strategies and tactics to counter the Islamophobia in Western media.