Dante Brodie

Professor Blandford
UWRITE 1103
25 October 2015
Aydin, Cemil. Muslims and Media: Perceptions, Participation, and Change. Dordrecht:
Springer, 2010. Print.
Aydins article discusses the vision of Muslims in American media. Also, how
Islam is subject to stereotypes and misrepresentation in America. Some different media
outlets are spoken of, such of the show Oz and Sleeper Cell, which both are shows
focused on the life of Muslims post 9/11. As an important part of my research, 9/11 and
its effects have been largely influential in terms of integrating Islam into American
culture.
The information in this article is relevant because it discusses and partially
answers one of my main questions: How does todays society affect Muslims in the
United States? This article is more about how they are perceived, but the media
perception is a big part of how the foreign culture in America makes Islam much more
isolated here than in other parts of the world. I plan to use the information to give me a
clearer understanding on Muslims view on what the world thinks of them and their
religion.
I believe this source is credible because I found it in the librarys database.
"Baghdad, Iraq - Embassy of the United States." Muslims in America A Statistical Portrait.
Web. 23 Oct. 2015.
This is a statistical report of the Muslim community in the United States. Broken
down by different demographics such as gender, age, location, and ethnicity, this is a very

informative and useful website because it gives a more focused view on the
representation of Islam in America.
Some of the information I plan to use from this is where Islam is popular in the
United States versus where there are few Muslims. Also, it will possibly show me how
different people express their faith differently depending on where the may live or the
kind of people theyre around.
This sources credibility can be confirmed because it was published by the US
Embassy. Government agencies want to explore why Islam is more popular in some parts
of the country and what the concentration of Islamic people is dependent upon.
Esposito, John L. Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam. New York: Oxford UP, 2002. Print.
In Espositos book, he talks about the 9/11 attacks. In the United States, this was a time
where Islam wasnt very prevalent or popular outside of immigrants. As a result of the
attacks, a lot of people were against Muslims and shunned them all across America. This
book is about the reasons behind Islamic practices related to terrorism and destruction.
As it is still misunderstood, I chose to use this book because it can hopefully help
me form more well-rounded, educated inquiries about the practices within Islam.
Considering that Muslims fall victim to a lot of hatred and discrimination in the United
States, I feel that some of it is unjust. I think that as a nation, Americans should be more
open to differences and put forth an effort to understand people with different views.
Surely,there are rules and principles in place regarding the Islamic faith that encourage
sacrifice in a way that we look down upon.
I trust this source because I found it was a top-rated work in the librarys selection
of educational literature about Islam.

"Malcolm X's (Al-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) Letter from Mecca." Malcolm X's (Al-Hajj Malik ElShabazz) Letter from Mecca. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
This website is a copy of Malcom Xs letter to Harlem, New York from the city of Mecca,
the sacred home of Islam. In the letter, Malcom X explained how enlightened he was by
his new found religion and why he was so dedicated to Islam. He compares it to our
society, and writes about how race isnt talked about as a problem amongst Muslims.
Something as simple as their views on race can make the difference between ones
beliefs. In Malcom Xs case, he expresses how unified the Muslim community is because
they accept the oneness of one god.
I wanted to use this letter as an example of a person that converted to Islam and really
invested in the lifestyle that they live. It can help me answer what some people may deem
as the influential differences between the two countries and religions.
This source is credible because it uses a direct excerpt from the autobiography of
Malcolm X.
Shelley, Catherine. "English, Christian or Muslim Law: Deconstructing some myths." Islam and
Christian-Muslim Relations26.3 (2015). Print.
In this volume of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations Shelley reflects on a lecture
given by Archbishop Rowan Williams about Englands law and views on religion. In her
reflection, Shelley talks about the fear of Muslims that they are not acknowledged by
English law. Also, about how English or Christian law is possibly threatened by Sharia
law.
I like this article because she talks about the issue of falsifying Islam from the
English perspective as well as the Muslim perspective. Many of Englands past laws
about religion were very discriminatory, and they made a difference over time when it
came to the growth of Islam.

I feel that this is credible because it was published by Routledge, a part of the
Taylor & Francis group, a 164-year-old global publishing company. The Taylor & Francis
group has published encyclopedias, journals, and academic books all across the world.