Identity And Representation of Islam and Muslims in France in the Media

Extract

[...] A France 3 article (April 24, 2023) highlights the issue of racism and calls to violence against Muslims and immigrants, as well as the rise of far-right groups infiltrating social media platforms such as Telegram. Following the 2015 attacks, questions about Islam, Muslims, and the veil became the main topic of media coverage. Identity is a crucial aspect of social production, as it determines how individuals and groups are perceived and represented. In France, identity is closely linked to religion, and the country has a long history of religious diversity. [...]

[...] Media Representation in Pop Culture The representation of Islam and Muslims in the media is also evident but for the first time en France in pop culture as main characters, as seen in the recent Netflix series "Jusqu'ici Tout Va Bien." The major community didn't like how the series has sparked controversy, particularly around the portrayal of Muslim characters and the potential perpetuation of negative stereotypes. Overall, the media representation of Islam and Muslims in France is complex and multifaceted. While some media outlets aim to promote diversity and inclusivity, others perpetuate negative stereotypes and promote Islamophobia. The role of identity/identification, particularly around religion and ethnicity, plays a significant role in media coverage and representation. As seen in the examples above, media coverage of Islam and Muslims in France is influenced by political ideologies, historical contexts, and social media phenomena. [...]

[...] Bibliography : Specific Topic + event : https://www.instagram.com/p/CrQtlynI-X1/ Importants Articles that explain my topic: Centre val de loire, (06/04/2023), Identitaires, néo-nazis, préparation d'actes violents contre des musulmans : les discussions glaçantes de l'ultra-droite sur Telegram. France3. https://france3 [HYPERLINK: https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/centre-val-de-loire/indre-loire/tours/racisme-apologie-du-terrorisme-appel-a-la-violence-une-infiltration-sur-telegram-devoile-la-menace-de-l-ultra-droite-2747994.html]regions.francetvinfo.fr/centre-val-de-loire/indre-loire/tours/racisme-apologie-du-terrorisme-appel- [HYPERLINK: https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/centre-val-de-loire/indre-loire/tours/racisme-apologie-du-terrorisme-appel-a-la-violence-une-infiltration-sur-telegram-devoile-la-menace-de-l-ultra-droite-2747994.html] a-la-violence-une-infiltration-sur-telegram-devoile-la-menace-de-l-ultra-droite-2747994.html [HYPERLINK: https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/centre-val-de-loire/indre-loire/tours/racisme-apologie-du-terrorisme-appel-a-la-violence-une-infiltration-sur-telegram-devoile-la-menace-de-l-ultra-droite-2747994.html] [HYPERLINK: https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/centre-val-de-loire/indre-loire/tours/racisme-apologie-du-terrorisme-appel-a-la-violence-une-infiltration-sur-telegram-devoile-la-menace-de-l-ultra-droite-2747994.html] - Charente-Maritime, (19/11/2020). Les musulmans de Charente-Maritime portent plainte après le dérapage d'un élu à Pons. Francebleu. https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/faits-divers-justice/les [HYPERLINK: https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/faits-divers-justice/les-musulmans-de-charente-maritime-portent-plainte-apres-le-derapage-d-un-elu-a-pons-1605293353]musulmans-de-charente-maritime-portent-plainte-apres-le-derapage-d-un-elu-a- [HYPERLINK: https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/faits-divers-justice/les-musulmans-de-charente-maritime-portent-plainte-apres-le-derapage-d-un-elu-a-pons-1605293353] pons-1605293353 [HYPERLINK: https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/faits-divers-justice/les-musulmans-de-charente-maritime-portent-plainte-apres-le-derapage-d-un-elu-a-pons-1605293353] - Islam, terrosrisme et radicalisation en France : un faux débat sur un sujet sérieux. (05/11/2019). https://www.iris-france.org/141645-islam-terrorisme-et-radicalisation-en-france-un-faux-debat- [HYPERLINK: https://www.iris-france.org/141645-islam-terrorisme-et-radicalisation-en-france-un-faux-debat-sur-un-sujet-serieux/] sur-un-sujet-serieux/ [HYPERLINK: https://www.iris-france.org/141645-islam-terrorisme-et-radicalisation-en-france-un-faux-debat-sur-un-sujet-serieux/] - Les violences contre les religions en forte hausse en France. (11/02/2022). [...]

[...] In France, the representation of religion has become a controversial issue in recent years, particularly regarding Islam. Islam, in particular, has been a source of controversy and has often been negatively portrayed in the media. This negative representation is reflected in the media coverage of terrorist attacks, where the religion of the perpetrators is often highlighted, creating the impression that Islam is inherently violent. This negative representation not only contributes to an unfavorable image of Islam but also reinforces existing stereotypes and prejudices against Muslims. [...]

[...] In other words, the way that the media represents events, people, and ideas is shaped by the ideologies and power relations that exist in society. But also the fact that « the media constructs meaning through a process of encoding and decoding. Encoding refers to the way in which media producers create messages, while decoding refers to the way in which audiences interpret those messages. ». The representation of Islam and Muslims in the media has been a topic of discussion particularly in France, where the debate has been ongoing. [...]