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A Study by:
Communique Partners
A Market Intelligence Consultancy
822 D Street
San Rafael, California, 94901 USA
415-453-9030
Contact: Chris Yalonis, President
Design:
Funding:
Gabrielle Mogannam
Throughout the period of January 2005 and
September 2005, the production and com-
missioning of this report was generously Book Cover:
funded by The Kuwaiti Ministry of Islamic
and Cultural Affairs, with the guidance of Gabrielle Mogannam
New Future/4M Advertising, a leading Ku-
waiti media and communications firm.
Website:
www.islamperceptions.org
Page
Page 2
2
Background and Acknowledgments
5. Bruce Lawrence
Communique Partners LLC
6. Amir Hussain
A Market Intelligence Consultancy
7. Salam Al-Marayati 822 D Street
8. John Esposito San Rafael, California 94901 USA
Phone: 1-415-453-9030
9. Laurent Murawiec
Fax: 1-415-480-2089
10. Carl Ernst Chris Yalonis, President
11. Trevor Mostyn info@communiquepartners.com
www.communiquepartners.com
12. Tudor Lomas
Page 3
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
CONTENTS
INSIDE THIS BOOK
Background and Objectives 2
I. Executive Summary 7
A Historical Perspective 20
Legacy of Stereotypes 23
A Paradox 24
Islamophobia 25
Key Findings 39
Page 4
Executive Summary
Page 5
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
Summary of Findings 83
Articles 96
Page 6
Executive Summary
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction:
This report is the result of a study done by Communique Partners, a leading San Francisco-
based market intelligence consultancy, commissioned by The Kuwaiti Ministry of Islamic and
Cultural Affairs, with the guidance of New Future/4M Advertising, a leading Kuwaiti media and
communications firm. The report covers research done from January-September, 2005, as a
part of ongoing research done by Communique Partners on the Western Perception of Islam,
the role of the media, and multicultural communications and understanding.
Study objectives:
• Better understand the image and perception of Islam and Muslims, as well as Arab
Muslims in Western Europe and the US
• Identify the key drivers and influences of that perception, and how they are shaped
• Identify the stereotypes and filters of thought that affect how Muslims and Arabs are
perceived
Study components:
Page 7
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
EXECUTIVE SAMMARY
• A review and summary of other third party public polls taken by other research firms
A Historical Perspective:
W estern Perception of Islam and Muslims has long been dominated by confrontation and
negativity. In Europe, Islam was a direct military threat for centuries. Christian thought-
leaders saw Mohammed in a lowly state. European colonialism rooted in Islamic territory.
Europe had a direct experience with Islam, but never welcomed it in Europe.
In the US, there has been little experience or representation of Islam up to the 1980’s. Today,
Muslims represent between 1-2% of the US population, 3% in the UK and 7-10% in France
and between 5-10% of the other EC countries. The US embassy hostage crisis defined much
of America’s perception of political Islam. In the 1990’s, US perception continued to be
dominated by militant, extremist and political issues. These were reinforced by the attacks on
US embassy’s and military bases in Africa, and the Middle East. The general perception was
that the primary public face of Islam was anti-American and militant.
Page 8
Executive Summary
EXECUTIVE SAMMARY
M uch Western literature and popular culture has portrayed Arabs and Muslims negatively
over the past 200 years. This has occurred in the absence of really positive and hopeful
and accurate images of Muslims that include everyday people but also heroes, people who are
extraordinary people.
Most people’s perceptions of Islam and Muslims in Europe and the US are shaped by media
coverage. The media has been slow to cover ordinary Muslims and Islamic culture, preferring
to show graphic images of fiery imams, gun toting militants, and anti-American demonstrations,
with emotions and actions taken in the name of Islam. “If it bleeds, it leads”. News directors will
lead news coverage with terror attacks, anti-American demonstrations, and hostage images to
shock and engage jaded viewers. The absence of a countering view contributes to the
selecting of these stereotypes and people start to believe them.
Some cartoonists say the easiest way to describe a Muslim is a guy in a funny headdress. Few
western TV programs and movies have characters of Middle Eastern descent. If they do, they
have been often been stereotypical, wide-eyed, bumbling, radical militants.
The perception of Muslims and Islam varies by country, ethnic group, and whether the
discussion is about Muslims as individuals or Islam as a political movement. The majority of
people in the US and Europe have a favorable opinion of Muslims as individuals, as neighbors,
friends and work colleagues. But in a politicized context, Muslims and Islam are viewed mostly
negatively, especially those of Arab descent. Common stereotypes include:
• Terrorist
• Anti-American
• Anti-modern
• Anti-women rights
• Anti-democracy
Page 9
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
EXECUTIVE SAMMARY
Yet, peaceful and non-politicized images mix with negative ones. This study’s public opinion
survey showed that the most common terms associated with Islam and
Arab Muslims include (in order of most prominently mentioned):
• Mosques
• Veiled women
• Oil
• Terrorists
Islam and extremism often are linked inextricably, with no commensurate linkages done with
Christianity or Judaism examples. Most Americans and Europeans do not understand the
multi-cultural and the diversity of the 1.2 billion Muslims in the world.
Page 10
Executive Summary
EXECUTIVE SAMMARY
U ntil recently, there has been a predominance of mostly conservative, anti-Arab leaning
“experts” and pundits that make themselves available for news and media interviews. For
example, there are about 300 think tanks in the US, mostly in the Washington-Boston corridor.
The large majority of them are conservative-leaning and many of them have set up Middle
Eastern sections and Islam studies groups. Some of these groups tend to write and speak
publicly on the dangers and threat of Islamic fundamentalism and extremism. Many see Islam
increasingly as a monolith and cultural and security threat. These conservative think tanks are
often funded by wealthy conservative and pro-Israeli donors and foundations. The members of
the think tanks, or “fellows”, have an academic aura in their reputation and positioning, but in
truth, their writings and talks are not held to the peer review as in university circles. But they
are often on TV and radio and lecture circuits, placed by highly paid professional speaker
bureaus and public relations firms. There has been few countering Islamic
spokespeople.
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Christian Fundamentalists
Leading spokesmen, such as Pat Robertson, Billy Graham, and Jerry Falwell have made anti-
Muslim public comments and even hold well formed anti-Muslim positions in their lectures and
preaching.
Relative to other ethnic groups, Muslims in the West do not tend to speak up and write editors
or call in to news organizations or TV shows when anti-Muslim and anti-Arab broadcasts are
made. This contrasts with the Jewish, Hispanic or African American communities, which are
much more vocal. Muslims do not want to appear openly critical of fellow Muslims, lest they be
seen as contributing to the extensive forces of condemnation.
Page 11
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
EXECUTIVE SAMMARY
• 25% and 28% and 27% of UK, French and German respondents respectively
• For “Muslims who live outside my country” and “Arab Muslims”, 3-10% more
respondents (depending on the respondent country) had a unfavorable opinion than
for “Muslims in my country”
• 32% overall had a somewhat or very unfavorable opinion of Islam, 40% in Netherlands
(highest)
• Protestants and Catholics had the highest favorability ratings at approximately 40%
• 20% of respondents had a very or mostly favorable opinion of “Muslims who live inside my
country”, but 5% less for “Muslims outside my country” and “Arab Muslims”
• A quarter of the respondents believe that all or most Arab Muslims are anti-American, but
only 7% believe that all or most Arab Muslims favor terrorism
• Only 17% believe that all or most Arab Muslims favor modernity and only 7% believe that
they are in favor of equal rights for women
• The countries most favorably viewed included: Egypt, Morocco, Turkey and Kuwait. Most
disliked were: Iran, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia
Page 12
Executive Summary
EXECUTIVE SAMMARY
• Half of the respondents say they had very little or no knowledge at all of Islam or Arab
Muslims, although only 20% of the Netherlands
respondents indicated little knowledge
• 38% believe that the US is fighting a war on Islam or both Islam and terrorism
Among those who had unfavorable opinions of Arab Muslims, the most common open ended,
unprompted sentiments included:
Among those who had favorable or neutral opinions of Arab Muslims, the most common open
ended, unprompted sentiments included:
• “They are people just like everyone else and do not deserve discrimination”
• “Some are good and some are bad-I judge based on the individual”
Page 13
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
EXECUTIVE SAMMARY
• TV documentaries and news are the most influential media in influencing feelings about
Arab Muslims, followed by newspapers
• Each of the other media outlets, such as books, magazines, movies, Websites have half
the influence of TV
• A quarter of the all respondents read or watch TV regarding Islam and Muslims at least 1
or more times a week, mostly news about the war on terror and in Iraq
• About 37% have very limited exposure to news and information about Islam and Muslims
(once every 2 months or more or never in the past year)
• Nearly three quarters of the respondents believe that the media depicts Arab Muslims and
Islam accurately only half of the time, not often or never
• On a personal level, two thirds of respondents are comfortable with having a Arab Muslim
as a friend, interacting with their family, having them as neighbors.
Only a quarter of the US and UK respondents have Arab Muslims friends, colleagues or family
members; the German and Dutch respondents slightly more; (versus 59% of the French) and a
very small percentage have ever participated in an Islamic activity (such as Ramadan)
What can be done to improve the perception of Arab Muslims and Islam?
• More media balance and more positive coverage, not just negatives
• Reduction in terrorism
• Government leaders restraining their extremists and refusing to condone violent behavior
Page 14
Executive Summary
EXECUTIVE SAMMARY
The study also reviewed other third party opinion polls done by other research organizations
and found consistent results.
American Muslim Poll 2004, Zogby International, August 5 to September 15, 2004
Lebanon 5% 40%
Pakistan 6% 14%
Turkey 5% 15%
Page 15
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
EXECUTIVE SAMMARY
Page 16
Executive Summary
EXECUTIVE SAMMARY
• Individual experts and those in academia who are independent are sometimes best to
present the message.
• Western media organizations must see normal Muslims in everyday life, as professionals,
educators, parents, community leaders and participants.
• Heroic and human interest stories featuring American, British and French Muslims must
increase.
• Muslims must call and write their local media when they see/hear erroneous or bias
reporting and shows.
Page 17
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
EXECUTIVE SAMMARY
• Interested donors from the West as well as in the Middle East and Asia need to fund think
tanks and lobbying groups to counter the anti-Muslim and anti-Arab think tanks and talk
show pundits.
• “Newspapers, radio, television, all these venues are shaping the views and attitudes
around the world. So it’s very important to have presence. Not to influence, not to control,
not to have monopoly, but to be present.”
• “The media for whatever reason is not interested in the moderate voice.” It is important to
create a balanced view in the media rather than continuing with the stereotypical portrayal
of Muslims.
____________________________________
1
CAIR's 30 and 60-second, “I am an American Muslim” public service announcement campaign.
Page 18
Expert commentary and analysis
3. Sulayman Nyang, Director of MAPS (Muslims in American Public Square). Howard University
8. John Esposito, Professor, Center for Muslim Christian Understanding, Georgetown University,
12. Tudor Lomas, Director of Jemstone, BBC correspondent, Middle East media consultant
16. Meyrav Wurmser, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies, Hudson Institute
Page 19
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Perceptions of Islam in the US and Europe:
T he perception of Islam and Muslims in the West has had a long history marked by confron-
tation and negativity. In Europe, Islam was a direct military threat to Europe for centuries
and during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, Islam was a problem for Christian thinkers, who
saw it and its prophet Mohammed in a very lowly state. But this standing religio-cultural chal-
lenge did not prevent European imperialism from building its institutions on Islamic territory in
the colonialism era. Europeans had a direct experience with Islam and did express a sense of
what Islam meant to them. Nonetheless, Islam was never welcomed in Europe.
In America, there was neither experience with nor the solid representation of Islam. Up until
World War II, there was very little contact with Islam and there was no distinct place in America
for Islam. Americans began to know about Islam because of the news about oil, Iran, Afghani-
stan and terrorism in the late 1970s and through the 1980’s. Whereas in Europe, a major
newsprint story might include a cultural representation of a bearded imam in a minaret on its
cover, in the US news story, a quiet scene like this would be emblazoned with a caption such
as “Islam, The Militant Revival.” This merging of cultural Islam with terror and extremism
evolved into an American obsession.
Page 20
Expert commentary and analysis
A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Page 21
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
The biggest question on most American’s minds was “Why do Muslims hate us so much”?
President George Bush, early in the immediate days after 9/11, did a good job communicating
to the public that Islam is a religion of peace and that the vast majority of Muslims are not anti-
American or terrorists. Terror in the name of Islam was a
gross anomaly, a horrific warping of the tenets of the
Faith.
Page 22
Expert commentary and analysis
LEGACY OF STEREOTYPES
The perception of Muslims and Islam varies by country, ethnic group, and whether the
discussion is about Muslims as individuals or Islam as a political movement. The majority of
people in the US and Europe have a favorable opinion of Muslims as individuals, as neighbors,
friends and work colleagues. But in a politicized context, Muslims and Islam are viewed mostly
negatively. Common stereotypes include:
• Terrorist
• Anti-American
• Anti-modern
• Anti-women rights
• Anti-democracy
• Islam politicized
Page 23
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
I s the media in Europe more balanced? Trevor Mostyn, Journalist, expert on European Me-
dia coverage feels that Europeans are more understanding of the situation in the Middle
East and “the perceptions of the Islamic world in Europe have been in many ways changing for
the better”. John Esposito feels that in general Europeans have been ahead of the US and are
more sensitive to the problem than the US.
A PARADOX
Page 24
Expert commentary and analysis
ISLAMOPHOBIA
"Some claim that Islam is incompatible with democracy, or irrevocably hostile to modernity and
the rights of women. And in too many circles, disparaging remarks about Muslims are allowed
to pass without censure, with the result that prejudice acquires a veneer of acceptability."
“No one should underestimate the resentment and sense of injustice that members of one of
the world's great religions, cultures and civilizations felt as they looked at unresolved conflicts
in the Middle East, the situation in Chechnya and the atrocities against Muslims in the former
Yugoslavia,” Mr. Annan said.
"But we should remember that these are political reactions - disagreements with specific poli-
cies. All too often, they are mistaken for an Islamic reaction against Western values, sparking
an anti-Islamic backlash," he said.
Together modernizers and traditionalists believe the most populous Muslim countries are not
Arab, but are located in non-Arab Asia, from Indonesia to part-Asian, part-European Turkey.
“In analyzing Islamophobia, therefore, it was important to take into account not only the role of
extremism in Islam, but also the role of extremism among Christians and Jews,” he said. 1
__________________________________
1 Islamophobia, issues, challenges and action. A report by the Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia, Chaired by Dr Richard Stone
Page 25
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
ISLAMOPHOBIA
• widespread and routine negative stereotypes in the media, including the broadsheets, and
in the conversations and ‘common sense’ of non-Muslims – people talk and write about
Muslims in ways that would not be acceptable if the reference were to Jewish people, for
example, or to black people
• negative stereotypes and remarks in speeches by political leaders, implying that Muslims in
Britain and the US are less committed than others to democracy and the rule of law – for
example, the claim by a UK government minister that Muslims more than others must
choose between ‘the British way’ and ‘the terrorist way’
• discrimination in recruitment and employment practices, and in workplace cultures and cus-
toms
• bureaucratic delay and inertia in responding to Muslim requests for cultural sensitivity in
education and healthcare and in planning applications for mosques
• lack of attention to the fact that Muslims in Britain and Europe are disproportionately af-
fected by poverty and social exclusion
• non-recognition of Muslims in particular, and of religion in general, by the law of the land,
since up until recently discrimination in employ-
ment on grounds of religion has been lawful and
discrimination in the provision of services is still
lawful
__________________________________
Page 26
Expert commentary and analysis
T here are several key drivers of US and European perception and attitudes about Islam and
Muslims.
Literature and Popular Culture: The legacy of literature News coverage focusing on
and popular culture portraying Arabs and Muslims negatively sensationalism, terror and
over the past 200 years has had an effect on today’s dramatic imagery. “If it
perception for the Western public. According to Bruce bleeds, it leads.”
Lawrence, “there is both a long record of too many negative
events: political, economic, social events that describe Muslims in a bad light. The other side
of the coin is the absence of what I would say are really positive and hopeful and accurate
images of Muslims that include everyday people but also heroes, people who are extraordinary
people.”
Conservative “experts”
from think tanks and
pundits: There are about
300 think tanks in the US,
mostly in the Washington-
Boston corridor. The large
majority of them are
conservative and many of them have set up Middle Eastern sections and Islam studies groups.
Some of these groups tend to write and speak publicly on the dangers and threat of Islamic
fundamentalism and extremism. Many see Islam increasingly as a monolith and cultural and
security threat. These conservative think tanks are often funded by wealthy conservative and
pro-Israeli donors and foundations. The members of the think tanks, or “fellows”, have an
academic aura in their reputation and positioning, but in truth, their writings and talks are not
held to the peer review as in university circles. But they are often on TV and radio and lecture
circuits, placed by highly paid professional speaker bureaus and public relations firms.
Page 27
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
A cademics, Muslim interest groups, military experts: There are very few countering
views coming from any other think tanks. Any pro-Muslim or Arab viewpoints in TV or ra-
dio debates typically come from academics from Islamic studies centers at universities or from
Muslim lobbying groups, such as ADC, CAIR or MPAC in the US. Sulayman Nyang, Director
of MAPS (Muslims in American Public Square) at Howard University believes that the people
who can affect the most significant change are the people in academia, who are independent.
He feels that they are the ones that most want to see a balance.
Stereotyping in movies, TV
shows, cartoons, and other
media: Arabs and Muslims
have long been negatively
stereotyped in Western movies,
TV shows and cartoons. Bruce
Lawrence, Chair of Religion,
Duke University, suggests that
the media is still representing
Muslim images as that of 40
years ago when the majority of
Muslims were Arabs. These
images are immediately recog-
nizable and draw readers/
viewers attention. He states, “I
have cartoonist friends and they
say the easiest way to describe
Muslim is a guy in a funny
headdress.” Carl Ernst, Chair “I have cartoonist friends and they say the easiest way to
of Religious Studies at the Uni- describe Muslim is a guy in a funny headdress.” Bruce
versity of North Carolina, refers Lawrence, Chair of Religion, Duke University,
to the lack of positive Muslim
images in the movies, “in the movies Arabs are the equivalent of Hollywood Indians.”
A main driver is television and the influence it has over people’s opinions of Muslims. Trevor
Mostyn, journalist, expert on European media coverage uses the Palestinian example. “There
has been this perception created by television that you have soldiers with guns and tanks on
one side and children with stones on the other side.” He further states that “television loves
the image of the ugly, ferocious blood curdling Muslims” and that the very articulate, main-
stream, Muslims are rarely seen on television in Britain.
According to Nihad Awad (CAIR) the absence of a countering view contributes to the selecting
Page 28
Expert commentary and analysis
Christian Fundamentalists: In the past 5 years, there has been a rise in Christian
fundamentalist TV and radio programs on the air, especially with the rise in cable and satellite
subscribers. Some of their leading spokesmen, such as Pat Robertson, Billy Graham, and
Jerry Falwell have made anti-Muslim public comments and even hold well formed anti-Muslim
positions in their lectures and preaching.
Page 29
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
Silencing of Muslim self-criticism: Muslims in the West do not tend to speak up and write
editors or call in to news organizations or TV shows when anti-Muslim and anti-Arab
broadcasts are made. This contrasts with the Jewish, Hispanic or African American
communities, which are much more vocal. Muslims do not want to
appear openly critical of fellow Muslims, lest they be seen as The European and
contributing to the extensive forces of condemnation. Brotherhood American Muslim com-
is genuine. But, as one Muslim scholar says, “instead of using munities do not have
Islam as a critical reasoning framework, many Muslims fall into a strong PR or lobbying
rationale to become reactive and complaining and blaming, which efforts.
serves only to increase the powerlessness and frustration of being
a Muslim.” Muslims in the West do
not tend to speak up
and write editors or call
in to news organiza-
tions or TV shows when
anti-Muslim and anti-
Arab broadcasts are
made.
Page 30
Expert commentary and analysis
T he portrayal of Arabs
and Muslims varies by
media type but it is typically
stereotypical and negative,
although improving
especially in certain
prestigious news
organizations. Terrorism,
anti-Americanism and the
Iraq occupation dominate
TV news coverage of the
Middle East. There is an
expression in the US about
TV news: “If it bleeds, it
leads.” News directors will
lead news coverage with
terror attacks, anti-
American demonstrations,
and hostage images to
shock and engage jaded viewers.
In American movies, stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims have In the majority of movies
been common for 50 years. In the majority of movies that that include an Arab char-
include an Arab character, it is a negative portrayal. Arabs are acter, it is a negative por-
terrorists, bumbling wide-eyed extremists, rich businessmen- trayal. Arabs are terror-
sheiks, or crass neighbors and undesirable outsiders. In some ists, bumbling wide-eyed
cases in TV shows, they are depicted as seemingly ordinary extremists, rich business-
citizens but in quiet terrorist sleeper cells, waiting for an order to men-sheiks, or crass
strike or sabotage on American soil. neighbors and undesir-
In the past 30 years of thousands of TV show series, there have able outsiders. In some
been less than 10 characters who have been Arab-Americans. cases in TV shows, they
are depicted as seem-
In print, stereotypes are not so obvious, except in cartoon ingly ordinary citizens but
caricatures, but they still occur and anti-Muslim bias is more in quiet terrorist sleeper
insidious. The terms Islamic or Muslim are linked to extremism, cells, waiting for an order
to strike or sabotage on
American soil.
Page 31
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
militant, jihads as if they belonged together inextricably and naturally (Muslim extremist, Islamic
terror, Islamic war, Muslim time bomb). In many cases, the press talks and writes about Mus-
lims in ways that would not be acceptable if the reference were to Jewish, black or fundamen-
talist Christians.
Page 32
Expert commentary and analysis
In the US, there is a heterogeneous Muslim population. About two thirds of the estimated 2-3
million American Muslims are immigrants or descendents of immigrants. The other one third
are African American converts to Islam along with smaller numbers of white American converts
and Hispanic Muslims. The largest Muslim communities are in Boston, New York City, Detroit,
Toledo, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles. The Arab American community is about 40%
Muslim.
Page 33
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
F irst and foremost there must be a consensus across the board between American Muslims
And European Muslims as to what the problems are and what best to do to affect change.
There is a real need to communicate a more balanced view of Islam in the West. Western
media organizations must see normal Muslims in everyday life, as professionals, educators,
parents, community leaders and participants. Heroic and human interest stories featuring
American, British and French Muslims must increase. American and European Muslims must
become more active in the media as professionals (cameramen, journalists, editors,
broadcasters). Muslims must call and write their local media when they see/hear erroneous or
bias reporting and shows. Interested donors from the West as well as in the Middle East and
Asia need to fund think tanks and lobbying groups to counter the anti-Muslim and anti-Arab
think tanks and talk show pundits.
Page 34
Expert commentary and analysis
Academia
Supply proper information nationwide with objective materials to libraries; books written by
Christians like John Esposito, and by Jewish writers and so on. According to Nihad Awad,
CAIR, there is “a lack of good objective books about Islam. Many of the positive or balanced
books are not published by the biggest publishing houses. The libraries need sometimes an
organization to tell the librarian that the books contribute to the understanding of the leaders
and it’s a service. These books are not missionary or preachy type of books.”
Media
T here is a need to invest in Western media. Nihad Awad, CAIR, explains “Newspapers,
radio, television, all these venues are shaping the views and attitudes around the world.
So it’s very important to have presence. Not to influence, not to control, not to have monopoly,
but to be present, to be able to present it. Empowering their brothers and sisters in the world,
in the modern community because there are services that are available to Muslims and Arabs.”
Page 35
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
Salam Al Marayati, Muslim Public Affairs Council feels “the media for whatever reason is not
interested in the moderate voice.” It is important to create a balanced view in the media rather
than continuing with the stereotypical portrayal of Muslims.
The first thing to do according to Trevor Mostyn, Journalist, Expert Muslims are very dis-
of European Media Coverage, is “to always complain about bias united…they are very
coverage…to pick up the receiver and phone … it is a very impor- bad at lobbying. They
tant point…to telephone television and radio stations and com- feel that it is pointless
plain about any sort of bias coverage and secondly to write letters and they will not
to the press every time one feels something is being covered with achieve anything,
a bias.” Trevor Mostyn, Jour-
nalist, expert on Euro-
In addition to the above, Amir Hussain of California State, feels pean media coverage
that getting more Muslims involved on a grass roots level, such
as, cameramen and writers could have a great impact. Depicting
Muslims in day-to-day types of things will also help to eliminate the stereotypical images of
Muslims being portrayed as terrorists. A good example of this came from The Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) who launched a nationwide television and radio public ser-
vice announcement (PSA) campaign, called "I am an American Muslim," designed to help re-
duce anti-Muslim discrimination and stereotyping.
1
CAIR's 30 and 60-second, “I am an American Muslim” public service announcement
campaign.
Page 36
Expert commentary and analysis
Community
“Your greatest asset is your American Muslim community”, says Akbar Ahmed, Chairman of
Islamic Studies, American University. Mr. Ahmed feels that the Western Muslims can act as a
bridge between the West and the Muslim World. “They know the language and they know the
people and the culture.” There is a lack of presence in the West of the positive images of
Islam.
Nihad Awad, CAIR, suggests that supporting institutions and organizations is an important step
Western Muslims can take. “After 9/11 there was, and still there is, a great interest among
students, researchers, to learn about this religion.”
Trevor Mostyn thinks “one of the problems is with the Islamic Arab communities in Britain and
I’m sure it is true in America too. Muslims are very disunited…they are very bad at lobbying.
They feel that it is pointless and they will not achieve anything…they will become unpopular…
there is no excuse.…the Islamic and Arab community are very, very bad at lobbying in the way
that other ethnic groups are able to do it. They need to improve and change…they need to
behave with aggression. There are these huge marches against the war in Iraq…again…I think
the vast majority were whites and British people.”
Page 37
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
The following chapter contains a summary of the results of surveys taken in February, 2005
of the general public in the US, UK and France and in August, 2005 of the Netherlands and
Germany.
This was an internet based survey of 2420 individuals, with 1010 completed interviews in the
US, 351 in the UK and 350 in France, 356 in Netherlands, and 352 in Germany. The data
was collected from February 15-28, 2005 in the US, UK and France and from August 29-
September 8, 2005 in the Netherlands and Germany.
The study was conducted using random sampling from a opt-in multi-million person database
and was balanced for general population representation. Margin of error is +/- 3% with 95%
confidence level.
Page 38
Public Opinion Survey in the US and Western Europe
KEY FINDINGS
• For “Muslims who live outside my country”, and “Arab Muslims”, 3-10% more respondents
(depending on country) had a unfavorable opinion than for “Muslims in my country”
• 32% overall had a somewhat or very unfavorable opinion of Islam, 40% in Netherlands
(highest)
• Protestants and Catholics had the highest favorability ratings at approximately 40%
• 20% of respondents had a very or mostly favorable opinion of “Muslims who live inside my
country”, but 5% less for “Muslims outside my country” and “Arab Muslims”
• Half of the respondents say they have very little or no knowledge at all of Islam or
Arab Muslims, although only 20% of the Netherlands respondents indicated little
knowledge
• 76% said that “my religion and Islam are very different” or that they “do not know
enough to determine if their religion and Islam have a lot in common”
• 49% believe that Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence
• 38% believe that the US is fighting a war on Islam or both Islam and terrorism
• Muslims rated the lowest in overall favorability among various religious groups.
• 27% overall had a very or somewhat unfavorable opinion of “Muslims who live in-
side my country”
• 25% and 28% and 27% of UK, French and German respondents respec-
tively
• Among those who had unfavorable opinions of Arab Muslims, the most common open
ended, unprompted sentiments included:
Page 39
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
KEY FINDINGS
• Among those who had favorable or neutral opinions of Arab Muslims, the most common
open ended, unprompted sentiments included:
• “They are people just like everyone else and do not deserve discrimination”
• “Some are good and some are bad-I judge based on the individual”
• On a personal level, two thirds of respondents are comfortable with having a Arab Muslim
as a friend, interacting with their family, having them as neighbors.
• TV documentaries and news are the most influential media in influencing feelings
about Arab Muslims, followed by newspapers
• Each of the other media outlets, such as books, magazines, movies, Websites have
half the influence of TV
• A quarter of the all respondents read or watch TV regarding Islam and Muslims at
least 1 or more times a week, mostly news about the war on terror and in Iraq
• About 37% have very limited exposure to news and information about Islam and
Muslims (once every 2 months or more or never in the past year)
• Nearly three quarters of the respondents believe that the media depicts Arab Mus-
lims and Islam accurately only half of the time, not often or never
• As important in shaping feelings, is a personal experience with Arab Muslims, their reli-
gious beliefs and their education
• Only a quarter of the US and UK respondents have Arab Muslims friends, col-
leagues or family members; the German and Dutch respondents slightly more;
(versus 59% of the French) and a very small percentage have ever participated in
an Islamic activity (such as Ramadan)
Page 40
Public Opinion Survey in the US and Western Europe
KEY FINDINGS
• A quarter of the respondents believe that all or most Arab Muslims are anti-American, but
only 9% believe that all or most Arab Muslims favor terrorism
• Only 17% believe that all or most Arab Muslims favor modernity and only 6% believe that
they are in favor of equal rights for women
• The countries most favorably viewed included: Egypt, Morocco, Turkey and Kuwait. Most
disliked were: Iran, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia
• More media balance and more positive coverage, not just negatives
• Reduction in terrorism
• Government leaders should restrain their extremists and refuse to condone violent
behavior
Page 41
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
• Enjoyed a 5% higher favorability rating than Muslims outside the country and Arab Muslims
• 27% overall had a very or somewhat unfavorable opinion of “Muslims who live inside my
country” (versus 30% unfavorable for Muslims outside the country or Arab Muslims (34%)
“Now thinking about some specific religious groups... What is your overall opinion of”:
Page 42
Public Opinion Survey in the US and Western Europe
• 15% of respondents had a very or mostly favorable opinion of “Muslims who live outside
my country”
“Now thinking about some specific religious groups... What is your overall opinion of”:
Page 43
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
• Religion is much more important in American’s lives (68% say very or somewhat important)
than in Europe (range of 27-31% across countries)
• Protestants, Catholics, Jews have the highest favorability ratings at approximately 35-40%
of respondents
• The middle tier of favorable ratings include Evangelical Christians, Atheists and the non-
religious. (25-30%)
• Muslims rated the lowest in favorability among various religious groups, at 14-20%
• A higher percentage (by 10-15%) of Americans rated Jews, Evangelical Christians, and
Protestants higher than the European respondents. Americans rated atheists and the non-
religious lower than the British and the French. (10-20% fewer).
“Now thinking about some specific religious groups... What is your overall opinion of”:
Page 44
Public Opinion Survey in the US and Western Europe
• Nearly 60% of all respondents agree with the statement that “some religions are more likely
than others to encourage violence.”
• About 25% believe that “religions are all about the same in this regard.”
• The French respondents were unique among respondent countries in that an equal per-
centage felt that “some religions are more likely than others to encourage violence” and
that “religions are all about the same in this regard.”
• 46% overall believe that the Islam religion is more likely than others to encourage violence.
An even greater percentage of Germans and Dutch respondents agreed. (55%). A smaller
percentage of the French agreed
“Tell me whether the FIRST statement or the SECOND statement comes closer to your
own views even if neither is exactly right.”
Page 45
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
• Just over half of the respondents across all countries said that they have a great deal or
some knowledge of Islam. The other half said that they know very little or nothing at all.
Netherlands and German respondents indicated that they had more knowledge about Is-
lam than the other country groups.
• 22% said that their religion and Islam have a lot in common.
• US and UK respondents were much less likely to think that their religion and Islam have a
lot in common than those in The Netherlands, Germany and France.
• Twice as many said that their religion and Islam are very different.
• Respondents knowledge of Arab Muslims, was also limited, with half saying that they had
very little or no knowledge at all of Arab Muslims. Dutch respondents indicated a slightly
higher knowledge level as a group.
“How much would you say you know about the Muslim religion (Islam) and its prac-
tices?”
Page 46
Public Opinion Survey in the US and Western Europe
“Do you think that the Muslim religion (Islam) and your own religion have a lot in com-
mon?”
• 16% of all respondents had a very or somewhat favorable opinion of Islam, a consistent
proportion across all three countries.
Page 47
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
• 59% of American respondents feels that the US is fighting a war on terrorism versus only
5% who believe that it is a war against Islam.
“Do you feel that the United States is fighting a war on terrorism or a war against Islam
(the religion followed by Muslims)”?
Page 48
Public Opinion Survey in the US and Western Europe
• 42% said they knew very little or nothing at all about Arabs
• Dutch respondents, percentage-wise, had a higher level of knowledge than those in other
countries
“How much would you say you know about Arabs (Middle Eastern, Arabic speaking de-
scent) and their culture?”
Page 49
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
• A quarter of the all respondents read or watch TV regarding Islam and Muslims at least 1
or more times a week, mostly news about the war on terror and in Iraq
• Another quarter of all respondents read or watch Islam-related content 1-2 times a month
• 37% have very limited exposure to news and information about Islam and Muslims (once
every 2 months or more or never in the past year)
• Of all the respondent countries, German respondents were the most exposed to Islam and
Muslim content and French respondents were the least exposed.
• Nearly three quarters of the respondents believe that the media depicts Arab Muslims and
Islam accurately only half of the time, not often or never.
“How often does the media accurately depict Islam and Muslims?”
Page 50
Public Opinion Survey in the US and Western Europe
• There are a variety of equally important influences on feelings about Arab Muslims includ-
ing:
• Personal experience
• Religious beliefs
• Education
“Rate the following influences on how they have affected your feelings about Arab Mus-
lims?“ (Use a scale of 1-5 with 1 being very strong influence and 5 being no influence).”
Page 51
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
• French respondents were twice as likely (59%) to have Arab friends, colleagues or family
members as were US (24%) or UK (28%) respondents.
• 38% of Germany and Netherlands respondents have Arab friends, colleagues or family
members.
• A very small percentage (3-10%) in any country have participated in an Islamic activity
(such as Ramadan) or community activities like fund-raising, organized by Arab Muslims
• 60% of the US and UK respondents had no personal experience with Arab Muslims in the
past 2 years, twice the percentage as the French
“In the past 2 years, what exposure, if any, have you had to Islam and Arab Muslims
(Middle Eastern descent-followers of Islam)? (Select all that apply)”
Page 52
Public Opinion Survey in the US and Western Europe
• While as many as one third of Americans and British respondents have not had a personal
experience with an Arab Muslim, about a quarter of them have had very or somewhat posi-
tive experiences overall (43% for France, 39% and 36% for Germany and Netherlands, re-
spectively.
• Overall, a quarter of the respondents believe that all or most Arab Muslims are anti-
American. Only 20% of Americans believe that, but a greater percentage of Europeans be-
lieve that most Arab Muslims are anti-American.
• 18% of the respondents believe that all or most Arab Muslims are in favor of modern val-
ues and lifestyles. A greater percentage of French respondents (28%) believe that.
• Only 7% of the respondents overall believe that all or most Arab Muslims are in favor of
equal rights for women.
• Only 9% of the respondents believe that all or most Arab Muslims are in favor of terrorists.
Page 53
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
• Relative to Arab Muslims in their own country, just over half of all respondents believe that
most Arab Muslims disagree with terrorist and militant methods.
• Half of the American respondents believe that Arab Muslims share common beliefs and
values with other citizens in the US and fit in well with their community, whereas a smaller
percentage (10-20% less depending on the country) of the European respondents felt that
way.
• Only 25% of respondents felt that Arab Muslims in their country support equal rights for
women. German respondents had the lowest percentage (14%) of any country regarding
Arab Muslim support for equal rights for women.
Page 54
Public Opinion Survey in the US and Western Europe
• The terms most associated with Islam and Arab Muslims are: “mosques”, “a veiled
women”, “devote observers of their faith” (67-78% of respondents indicating association)
• A second tier of terms included: “terrorists”, “imam or holy man”, “bearded man with turban/
robe”, “oil” (39-51% of respondents indicating association)
Page 55
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
• Countries most favorable viewed by respondents include (in order of favorability): Egypt,
Turkey, Morocco, Dubai, Kuwait
• French respondents had a more favorable view overall than the US and UK respondents of
Egypt, Turkey, Tunisia, Morocco, and Lebanon
• British respondents liked Dubai, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia more than the Americans or
French did
• Americans overall had a more favorable view of Afghanistan than the French or British did
• Countries viewed most unfavorably included (in order of most unfavorably viewed): Iran,
Libya, Syria, and Yemen
Page 56
Public Opinion Survey in the US and Western Europe
• Respondents were given a list of Islamic countries and asked which ones that they would
like to visit. Egypt, Morocco, Turkey, Malaysia, Dubai and Tunisia received the most men-
tions for places desired to visit. The primary reasons for visiting included (in order of # of
mentions):
• Architecture/historical/archeological sites
• History/ancient history
• Culture/people
• Sounds good/great/interesting
• Scenery/beautiful place
• Sightseeing
Page 57
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
Respondents were asked “How to improve the perception of Arab Muslims in your coun-
try” and these open ended, unaided answers were coded for commonality. Most mentioned
responses included:
• Increased education/communication
• Reduction in violence/anger/terrorism
Page 58
Secondary Public Opinion Polls
• The Pew Research Center for the People & the Press
• USA Today
• Cornell
• Gallup polls
• Zogby International
These research firms bear no responsibility for the analyses or interpretations of the data
presented here.
Page 59
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
D espite the U.S. war in Iraq and the continuing threat of terrorism at home, public attitudes
toward Islam have remained stable over the past year. Roughly four-in-ten Americans
(39%) say they have a favorable impression of Islam, while about as many (37%) say they
have an unfavorable view. The balance of opinion has not changed substantially in the past
year (40% favorable in July 2003).
Page 60
Secondary Public Opinion Polls
http://pewforum.org/publications/surveys/islam.pdf
Page 61
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
Results for the US survey are based on telephone interviews conducted under the direction of Princeton Survey
Research Associates among a nationwide sample of 2,002 adults, 18 years of age or older, during the period June
24 - July 8, 2003
Y et growing views of Islam as a religion that encourages violence have not resulted in a
significant change in American views of Muslims, Muslim-Americans, or even of Islam in
general. A narrow majority of the public (51%) has
a favorable view of Muslim-Americans, and only
24% have an unfavorable view (25% have no
opinion). This is about the same rating as last year
(54% favorable), but down from the 59% rating in
a November 2001 poll, just a few months after
9/11.
Page 62
Secondary Public Opinion Polls
A s has been true in previous years, Muslims are less popular than people of other reli-
gious faiths but more popular than atheists. Muslim-Americans and Muslims are seen
less favorably than Jews (72% favorable), Protestants (70%), and Catholics (69%), and
slightly below evangelical Christians (58% favorable, 18% unfavorable). "People who
aren't religious" receive favorable ratings similar to Muslims (50%), but the public has a
more unfavorable view of the non-religious (33% unfavorable). Majorities of the public
continue to give atheists an unfavorable rating: 52%, compared with 34% favorable.
Views of each of these groups have changed very little since March 2002.
• Somewhat fewer people now than last year say that Islam and their own religion have a
lot in common: 22% this year, compared with 27% in March 2002 and 31% in November
of 2001. Catholics have changed the most on this measure, with 14% fewer saying their
religion has a lot in common with Islam. Evangelicals and mainline Protestants have
changed very little. Overall, far more among the college educated than the less educated
see commonality between Islam and their religion, and the views of the college educated
have changed very little since last year.
http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=189
Page 63
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
Page 64
Secondary Public Opinion Polls
A mericans who know rudimentary facts about Islam are, if anything, more likely to see anti-
American sentiment among half or more Muslims around the world. And as to whether
some religions or Islam are more likely to encourage violence among believers, familiarity with
the religion has no effect on people's evaluations.
Religion in America
http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?PageID=387
Page 65
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
The Pew Global Attitudes Project surveyed - 16,000 people in 20 countries and the Palestinian Authority in May,
2003 and more than 38,000 people in 44 nations in 2002 (it covers attitudes on globalization, democratization and
the role of Islam in governance and society). The exact mythology of each country is referenced at the end of the full
report.
Page 66
Secondary Public Opinion Polls
M uslim publics clearly favor democratic government over a strong autocratic leader. In
general, there is greater support over democratic government in the Muslim countries
surveyed than there is in much of Eastern Europe. The clear exceptions are Jordan, and Uz-
bekistan, two countries with very strong leaders, and Nigeria.
In that regard, the preference of Muslims in Uzbekistan for a strong leader fit the pattern of
publics in the former Soviet Union. Nearly six-in-ten Muslim respondents in Uzbekistan (58%)
favor a strong leader of a democratic government, which is consistent with results in Russia
and Ukraine, where two-thirds believe their na-
tion should rely on a leader with a strong hand
to solve their nation’s problems. In Jordan, a
monarchy limited parliament, Muslims are di-
vided, with half favoring a strong leader.
http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=185
Page 67
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
• Overall opinion of Arab Muslims is very similar to opinion about Muslims in general
• 15% of respondents had a very or mostly favorable overall opinion of “Arab Muslims
(Middle Easter descent)”
• Fairly consistent percentages across countries, except in UK, where only 26% had unfavor-
able opinions
• About two thirds of all respondents are very or somewhat comfortable in personal dealings
with Arab Muslims, including friendship, family and workplace interactions or having them
as neighbors
• A somewhat smaller percentage feel comfortable having a family member marry an Arab
Muslim (46%)
“Indicate your comfort level with the following situations interacting with Arab Mus-
lims”:
Page 68
Public Opinion Survey in the US and Western Europe
• 60% of respondents didn’t know the difference or indicated that there is no difference
• About 15% indicated that Arab Muslims are more radical, angry and violent, as well as be-
ing radical zealots who have twisted their religion
• About 17% indicated that the differences include religion, geographic location and national-
ity, and cultures
• TV documentaries and news are the most influential media, followed by newspapers
• Each of the other media outlets, such as books, magazines, movies, Websites have half
the influence of TV
“Rate the following influences on how they have affected your feelings about Arab Mus-
lims (followers of Islam)? (Use a scale of 1-5 with 1 being very strong influence and 5
being no influence)”
Page 69
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
Page 70
Secondary Public Opinion Polls
M ideast Sympathies
The nine countries surveyed fall into three main groups when it comes to opinion about
the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. In the United States, there is significantly
more sympathy for Israel than for the Palestinians – by a margin of roughly four-to-one (46%
vs. 12%). This has been the case fairly consistently over the past decade.
In Russia, Germany, Great Britain and France, public opinion is much more divided, with a
large proportion sympathizing with neither side. In Russia, 23% side with Israel, 14% with the
Palestinians and a plurality of 34% say they sympathize with neither side. Sympathy for the
Palestinian position has declined somewhat among the French. Two years ago, 36% sided
with the Palestinians in the conflict. Today 28% do, while support for Israel has remained un-
changed. German and British attitudes on the conflict have remained largely unchanged from
two years ago.
http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?PageID=795
Page 71
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
USA TODAY
USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll of 863 adults conducted Friday-Sunday – updated 03/04/2002 . The 2002 Gallup Poll
of the Islamic World. Number sampled in each country: Pakistan 2,043; Iran 1,501; Indonesia 1,050; Turkey 1,019;
Lebanon 1,010; Morocco 1,000; Kuwait 790; Jordan 757; Saudi Arabia 754.
In the USA TODAY Poll conducted Friday-Sunday in early 2002, four in five Americans said
the antipathy stems from misinformation about U.S. policies toward Muslim countries and
Americans' freedoms, moral standards and family values.
• Although most Americans view their own country as trustworthy, friendly, caring about
poorer nations and respectful of Islamic values, huge majorities in Muslim countries
take the opposite view.
• And though most Americans see U.S. policy on Israel-Palestine relations as fair,
majorities in Muslim nations say it's tipped too heavily toward Israel.
When do you think a better understand- • Nine in 10 Americans say groups of Arabs carried
ing between Western countries and out the attacks on the World Trade Center and
Muslim countries will occur?
Pentagon. Solid majorities in Islamic nations don't
believe that.
Very soon Never
Kuwait 5% 22%
• Only one in four Americans has a favorable
opinion of Muslim countries. That's roughly the same
Lebanon 5% 40%
percentage of the Islamic countries' residents who
Pakistan 6% 14% look favorably on the United States.
Saudi Arabia 11% 28%
• Two in three Americans say Muslim countries
Turkey 5% 15% would be better off if they adopted U.S. and Western
values. Fewer than one in three residents of most
Muslim countries agree.
Page 72
Secondary Public Opinion Polls
A bout the only area of agreement: broad pessimism about the chances for better under-
standing between Western and Muslim cultures. Even there, however, Arab Islamic na-
tions are more pessimistic than non-Arab Islamic nations.
James Zogby of the Arab American Institute calls these contrasts "gaps in perception and gaps
in compassion" that result from the two groups looking at each other through "distorted
prisms." "We feel our pain and don't feel theirs. They feel their own pain and don't feel ours,"
he says.
However, more than three of four Americans say Muslim views of American culture and poli-
cies are shaped by misinformation being disseminated by their governments and their media.
Cares about
Provoked
Trustworthy Friendly poor na-
easily
tions
Saudi Ara-
3% 3% 43% 15%
bia
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2002/03/05/poll.htm
Page 73
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
MSRG Special Report: Restrictions on Civil Liberties, Views of Islam, & Muslim
Americans December 2004
This report is a summary of the key findings from the 2004 national omnibus survey of public opinion and media
use, conducted by the Communication 282 Industry Research Methods class in the Department of Communication
located at Cornell University. The Communication Omnibus Survey is an annual survey of citizens within the
continental United States who are at least 18 years of age and eligible to vote.
I n November, 2004 37% of respondents believe a terrorist attack within the next 12
months is likely, compared to 90% in November 2002.
• Twice as many respondents who pay a high level of attention to TV news (18%) feel
personally in danger from a terrorist attack, as compared to respondents who pay a low
level of attention to TV news (9%).
• Nearly half (47%) of respondents support greater power for the government to monitor
Internet activities, while nearly two-thirds (63%) agree that the government should be
able to detain indefinitely suspected terrorists.
• Christians with a high level of religiosity are almost twice as likely to agree that the
government should have more power to monitor Internet activities (61%), that the
government should outlaw some un-American actions (43%), and that the media
should not report criticisms of the government in times of crisis (44%), when compared
to respondents with a lower level of religiosity.
• One-quarter (27%) of Respondents who pay a high level of attention to television news about
respondents believe national politics and the War on Terror are more likely (43% vs. 31%) to
that Islamic values are believe that a terrorist attack will occur in the next 12 months than those
who pay low attention to television news. Similarly, viewers who report high
similar to Christian
or moderate attention to television news are twice as likely to feel person-
values. ally in danger from a terrorist attack.
• Nearly half (47%) of Likelihood & Danger of Terrorist Attack by Level of At-
respondents believe tention to TV News (% Agree)
that Islam is more
likely to encourage
violence compared to
other religions. That
percentage rises to
sixty-five percent
among highly religious
respondents.
Page 74
Secondary Public Opinion Polls
N early half (44%) of all respondents agree that at least one form of restriction should be
placed on Muslim American civil liberties.
• Forty-two percent of highly religious respondents believe that Muslim Americans should
register their whereabouts with the federal government.
Two basic questions regarding Islam, a) whether the respondent knew what name Mus-
lims use to refer to God (Allah), and b) whether the respondent knew the name of the
Islamic equivalent to the Bible (Koran).
http://www.comm.cornell.edu/msrg/report1a.pdf
Page 75
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
GALLOP POLLS
T he poll of 863 adults conducted March 2002 comes in the wake of a similar survey of nine
Muslim nations that found widespread disapproval of the United States (the two polls are
virtual mirrors in their results).
About one quarter of Americans surveyed have a favorable view of Muslim nations and more
than two-thirds believe those countries would be better off if they adopted Western values,
according to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.
• Most Americans surveyed said they believe Muslims don't respect Western values, and
residents of such countries said the United States does not respect Islamic culture.
• In this latest poll, conducted March 1-3, just under one-third of Americans surveyed
said they believe all or most people in Muslim countries admire Osama bin Laden, and
one-third said they believe Islam promotes more violence than other religions
worldwide.
• Seventy-one percent of those surveyed said they believe people in Muslim countries
think the United States is at war with the Muslim world; only 34 percent of these
Americans said they believe that is the case.
• When asked what they believe people in Muslim countries think of the United States,
82 percent of the Americans surveyed thought Muslim's opinions would be unfavorable,
compared with 9 percent who thought their opinions would be favorable.
• When asked why they thought those opinions were unfavorable, 78 percent blamed
misinformation while 11 percent blamed U.S. actions.
• Twenty-four percent said Muslims' opinions did not matter much to them, and 23
percent said they had no interest at all in Muslims' opinions.
• Forty-one percent of those surveyed said they knew a moderate amount about Muslim
countries, while 56 percent said they knew little or nothing at all.
• The study found that 77 percent of respondents believed the U.S. military action in
Afghanistan was morally justified; only 12 percent found it unjustified.
Page 76
Secondary Public Opinion Polls
ZOGBY INTERNATIONAL
MUSLIMS IN THE AMERICAN PUBLIC SQUARE: Shifting Political Winds & Fallout from
9/11, Afghanistan, and Iraq
Zogby International conducted interviews of 1,846 persons, 18 years and old, nationwide who identify themselves
as Muslim. From Thursday, August 5 to Wednesday, September 15, 2004, phone interviews were conducted.
A merican Muslims are at a political and social crossroads at the end of 2004. In a few short
years, they have undergone massive political shifts, and have become a relevant part of
the political landscape. If one looks at American Muslims ca. 2000, and then ca. 2004, without
an understanding of the events that have occurred in that four-year span, such a sea change
has occurred for this group that any political observer would be stunned.
If you had to choose ONE of the following ways to wage the war against terrorism,
which would you choose?
• Respondents overwhelmingly say they would fight the war on terror by changing U.S.
policy in the Mideast (76%). No other answer gained more than 2%, and most were
less than 1%.
Do you agree or disagree that…? Muslims on U.S. Foreign Policy in the Mideast
• There is widespread support for the U.S. backing a Palestinian state, with eight-in-nine (87%) agreeing
with that premise.
• Muslims also overwhelmingly support the notion that the U.S. must deal with social, economic and political
inequalities around the world to defeat terrorism (87%), though 7% disagree.
Page 77
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
• Two-thirds (66%) of American Muslims agree that the U.S. should reduce its support of
undemocratic regimes in the Muslim world.
Which of the following best describes how you get most of your information about
international affairs or foreign policy?
• More than half (53%) of Muslims turn to television for their international affairs and
foreign policy news. Of the remainder, one-in-six (17%) turn to the internet, and one-in-
eight (13%) get their news from a newspaper.
Do you regularly watch any media targeted towards specific ethnic groups?
• A quarter (25%) of Muslims watch media targeted to ethnic groups, which three
quarters (74%) do not.
Do you think the mainstream American media… Hollywood… is fair in its portrayal of
Muslims and Islam? The Portrayal of Muslims On-Screen
Page 78
Secondary Public Opinion Polls
Top Findings:
• Negative images of Muslims were 16 times more prevalent than positive images
• Knowledge of Islam is low but the presence of Muslim friends & colleagues drives enlight-
ened attitudes
Page 79
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
As compared to others, those who hold the most negative attitudes tend to be less educated,
white, and male
Page 80
Secondary Public Opinion Polls
T he Muslim Association of Britain finds many aspects of the survey encouraging and
uplifting, about 84% believed that it was possible for British Muslims and people of other
faiths to live peacefully together at close quarters. 69% agreed that Islam is mainly a peaceful
religion and that terrorists comprise only a tiny minority thereof, there are numerous aspects
which are disappointing and call for urgent attention and precise action.
High amongst the figures which Muslims ought to consider seriously is that 64% admitted to
not knowing much about Islam and a staggering 82% stated that members of Britain’s Muslim
minority often keep too much to themselves, when they should be trying to mix in more with
non-Muslims. Further, almost two thirds believed that Britain’s Muslim community does little or
nothing to promote tolerance among people of different faiths. Such issues require the close
attention of the Muslim community and action to bring about a more positive response in the
foreseeable future.
However, most alarming amongst the results is that no less than 84% of Britain’s non-Muslims
have tended to be more suspicious of Britain’s Muslims since 11 September last year and that
one out of every six say that they would be disappointed or angry if a Muslim family happened
to move in next door.
The survey showed that no less than 66% rely on the TV and newspapers for their information
about Britain’s Muslim community.
It is a great source of anxiety and concern that our Media have continued to play such a pivotal
role in introducing an image of Islam and Muslims, which is largely unbalanced if not
completely and utterly false.
The Muslim Association of Britain as well as numerous other Islamic organizations have long
voiced their concerns as to the manner, format and content of coverage and airtime offered to
issues relating to Islam and Muslims, whether in Britain or internationally.
The role and performance of the media in the aftermath of the 11th of September is a clear
indication of the reasons behind much of the skepticism, anxiety and mistrust which remains
present between British Muslims and non-Muslims and which greatly hinders efforts to build
bridges and enhance understanding and mutual appreciation.
Page 81
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
T he purpose of the following search tables and graphics is to provide a snapshot of the
current (as of the late February, 2005) “Islam-related” articles and the context in which
Islam was written about. To provide an accurate view across multiple medias available through
the internet, we chose to focus on the major search engines (Google, Yahoo!, MSN, Ask
Jeeves), online magazines (Time, The Economist), and online newspapers (New York Times,
The Washington Post).
The initial phase of the searching involved defining the terms that were to be used in the
search. With “Islam” being the main topic term, four additional sub-topics were defined that
would provide for a broad search coverage. Within each of these sub-topics, additional terms
were defined that were used to pinpoint more specific topics within Islam and there
appearance in available online literature.
The search engine part of the search was conducted by inputting the defined terms into the
available search forms of the various engines. The available articles that contained the terms
searched, were then recorded. The process of using the search engines was identical to what
any person would do if he/she were searching for articles with specific criteria and thus data
provided in this section, is an accurate depiction of what would be viewed by any person
searching for articles having to do with “Islam” and a certain topic. The four search engines
chosen reflect the top search engines available in terms of total web pages scanned and
users.
For the online magazine search, the search included using the defined term-sets and
searching all articles available between January 1999* and January 2005*. The matches were
then reviewed for accuracy and the total number recorded for that term-set. A similar method
was taken for the online newspaper search except for the article search included articles
printed within the past 2 years*
Once the data was collected, an average was taken in each of the three media types looked at.
The average article returns for each term-set was then graphed against the average of the total
number of articles that were returned that included “Islam” as a topic or sub-topic of the article.
Page 82
Page 82
Media Scan Analysis
Summary of Findings
T he level of association of Islam with particular terms varies with the media searched. For
example, in reviewing the US’ Time Magazine and the UK’ Economist, the term “politics”
was found in the largest percentage of associated articles (41% of Islam articles). This was
followed by terrorism (35% of Islam articles), religion (27%), and women (23%). Violence, ex-
tremism, radicalism were all terms that had high percentage association with Islam articles,
typically 50-100% more than terms such as women’s rights, veil, customs, prayer, Koran,
Ramadan, charity.
When reviewing two of the US’s most prestigious newspapers, the New York Times and The
Washington Post, “terrorism” was associated with Islam in 40% of the Islam articles compared
with 28% for the term “women”, 24% for “religion, and 22% for “politics.” The cultural and reli-
gious terms (for example: scarves, veil, turbans, roles, hijab, clergy, imam, Koran) were associ-
ated with the Islam articles typically in the 2-8% range.
A search of associated terms with Islam using the leading search engines (Google, Yahoo,
MSN, Ask Jeeves) resulted in the term “religion” being the top associated term (43% of all Is-
lam references). “Politics” (25%), “faith” (23%) “women” (26%) were higher than “terrorism” and
“violence” (15-17% respectively). In a second tier, democracy, Islamic Law, education, prayer,
Allah, Quran, kill, suicide, radical and holy war were all terms that had were associated with
Islam articles between 8-16% of all articles that mentioned Islam. These search engines are
used by the large majority of Internet users when searching for articles and references on vari-
ous topics. These engines search over 200 million references covering a vast array of pub-
lished works. The higher percentages associated with religion and cultural terms most likely
results from the “democratic” and expansive nature of having published works on the Internet.
The ability to publish on the Internet is available to anyone.
Page 83
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
The studies included in the following tables on “Islam-related” articles were conducted using
the following online resources:
Online Magazines
Online newspapers
Page 84
Media Scan Analysis
Terms searched: Islam, Islam and politics, Islam and education, Islam and Islamic law, Islam
and democracy, Islam and crime, Islam and social justice, Islam and immigration, Islam and
freedom of speech, Islam and anti-American, Islam and capitalism, Islam and anti-West, Islam
and secularism, Islam and pluralism
10178533
100.00%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40% 2579292
30% 25.34% 1968990
19.34% 1318994 1183283 1084708
20% 12.96% 11.63% 10.66% 728487 600603 468948 447452 268166 243358 192685
7.16% 132526
10% 5.90% 4.61% 4.40% 2.63% 2.39% 1.89% 1.30%
0%
m
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Page 85
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
100.00%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
407
30%
22.86% 302
16.98% 193 181
20% 178 97
10.82% 10.18% 10.01% 65 48 38
25 18 13 1
10% 5.43% 3.63% 2.70% 2.14% 1.38% 1.01% 0.73% 0.03%
0%
m
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s
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664
100.00%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
275
50%
41.37%
40%
30% 128 114
19.29% 17.18% 87 77
20% 43 39
13.04% 11.61% 31 21 16 8
12 0
10% 6.48% 5.88% 4.60% 3.09% 2.41% 1.81% 1.13% 0.00%
0%
m
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Page 86
Media Scan Analysis
Terms searched: lslam, Islam and violence, Islam and terrorism, Islam and kill, Islam and
suicide, Islam and terrorist, Islam and radical, Islam and holy war, Islam and jihad, Islam and
militant, Islam and extremists, Islam and extremism, Islam and martyrdom, Islam and
beheadings
100.00%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
1735018
1577771
20% 17.05% 15.50% 1249265 1175107
975870 878628 877470
12.27% 11.54% 653225
9.59% 8.63% 8.62% 395281
10% 6.42% 261464 171043 134007
3.88% 33127
2.57% 1.68% 1.32% 0.33%
0%
gs
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Page 87
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
90%
80%
70%
60%
50% 723
40.65%
40% 514
28.87%
30% 385
21.62% 304
282 251
20% 17.09% 234
15.83% 14.11% 189
13.16% 163
10.63% 9.17% 104 77
10% 5.85% 50 29
4.33% 2.78% 1.60%
0%
gs
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Online Magazine Search Averages
Time, The Economist
(articles printed between 01/1999 through 01/2005)
664
100.00%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
230
40% 209
34.59%
31.42% 167
30% 25.09% 135 134
20.35% 20.20% 115
17.26% 97 97 81
20% 14.54% 14.54% 71
12.13% 55
10.63%
8.29% 16
10% 3
2.34%
0.45%
0%
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Page 88
Media Scan Analysis
Terms searched: Islam, Islam and religion, Islam and faith, Islam and prayer, Islam and Allah,
Islam and Quran, Islam and mercy, Islam and charity, Islam and imam, Islam and mosque,
Islam and Koran, Islam and Ramadan, Islam and hajj, Islam and Sunni, Islam and rituals, Islam
and pilgrimage, Islam and clergy, Islam and infidels, Islam and Shii
10178533
100.00%
100%
90%
80%
70%
4450036
60%
50%
43.72%
40%
2301320
1645308
1715778
30%
22.61%
811496
587403
624246
523016
561656
514499
437410
20% 16.86%16.16%
329935
296084
242677
194925
240096
149479
3949
10% 7.97%
6.13% 5.77% 5.52% 5.14% 5.05%
4.30% 3.24% 2.91%
2.38% 2.36% 1.92% 1.47%
0.04%
0%
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Page 89
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
424
30%
23.84% 355
19.93% 284 248
20% 15.97% 202
13.94% 171 159
11.33% 9.61%
8.91% 77 74 74 62 56 53
10% 38 22 16 3
4.33% 4.16% 4.16% 3.46% 3.12% 2.98% 0
2.14% 1.24% 0.87%
0.14% 0.00%
0%
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90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
177
30% 26.68%
117 111
20% 17.56% 16.73%
65 60 53
9.72% 8.97% 7.99% 47 31 29 28
10% 7.01% 24 21 17
4.67% 4.30% 4.14% 3.54% 3.09% 11 5 4
2.49% 1.58% 2 0
0.68% 0.60% 0.23% 0.00%
0%
n
an
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Page 90
Media Scan Analysis
Terms searched: Islam, Islam and women, Islam and women's rights, Islam and dress, Islam
and customs, Islam and roles, Islam and veil, Islam and women roles, Islam and hijab, Islam
and polygamy, Islam and scarves, Islam and beards, Islam and turbans
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
2674150
30% 26.27%
20%
577905 500843 464792
10% 311480 193332 192411
5.68% 4.92% 4.57% 171551 90369 61026 45663 23766
3.06% 1.90% 1.89% 1.69% 0.89% 0.60% 0.45% 0.23%
0%
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Page 91
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
120%
1779
100.00%
100%
80%
60%
40% 498
27.97%
20% 191
10.71% 95 67 56 56 55 43 33
5.31% 3.74% 17 17 8
3.15% 3.15% 3.06% 2.42% 1.86% 0.96% 0.96% 0.42%
0%
s
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90%
80%
70%
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157
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23.59%
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20% 14.32% 64
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10% 20 20 19
4.37% 3.99% 9 9 5 4
3.01% 3.01% 2.86% 1.28% 1.28% 0.68% 0.60%
0%
s
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Page 92
References and Sources
o Articles
o Books
o Websites
Page 93
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
PEW RESEARCH
Plurality Sees Islam as More Likely to Encourage Violence
Views of Islam Remain Sharply Divided
Report available at: http://pewforum.org/publications/surveys/islam.pdf
Page 94
References and Sources
USA TODAY
Great divide splits U.S., Islamic cultures, poll finds
Report available at: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2002/03/05/poll.htm
CORNELL
MSRG Special Report: Restrictions on Civil Liberties, Views of Islam, & Muslim
Americans
Report available at: http://www.comm.cornell.edu/msrg/report1a.pdf
GALLUP POLLS
Survey finds American distrust of Muslim world
Report available at: http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/03/04/u.s.muslim.poll/
ZOGBY INTERNATIONAL
American Muslim Poll 2004
Report available at: http://www.projectmaps.com/AMP2004report.pdf
BBC News
Islam 'booming' in America
Report available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1299225.stm
Page 95
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
ARTICLES
• Seyyed Hossein Nasr / Science and Civilization in Islam
The Principles of Islam
Article available at: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/nasr.html
• Michael Smith encounters the Western face of Islam--and meets British Muslims who are
fighting back against Islamophobia.
Islam and the West - Bridging the gap
Article available at: http://www.forachange.co.uk/index.php?stoid=78
• Roger Hardy, BBC Middle East analyst (Roger Hardy is a freelance journalist who has spe-
cialized for many years in the Middle East.
Islam and the West: Bridging the divide
Article available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/special/islam/3182669.stm
Page 96
References and Sources
ARTICLES
• Freshta Azizi
Scholars Press for Better Understanding of Muslim Opinion
Article available at: http://www.voanews.com/english/NewsAnalysis/Freshta-Azizi-
Understanding-Muslim-Opinion2004-11-02-voa46.cfm
• Jochen Hippler
Foreign Policy, the Media, and Western Perception of the Middle East
Article available at: http://www.jochen-hippler.de/Aufsatze/
Islam__the_Media__Perceptions/islam__the_media__perceptions.html
•
Ibrahim Kalin - George Washington University
Western Perceptions of Islam Yesterday and Today
Article available at: http://www.islamonline.net/english/Contemporary/2003/04/
Article01.shtml
• Heba Abdallah
How Muslim-bashing Became Acceptable
Article available at: http://www.masnet.org/views.asp?id=882
Page 97
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
ARTICLESRT
• Mubashar Ahmad
The Changing Perception Of Islam In American Pluralistic Society
Article available at: http://www.bohra.net/archive/islam_america.html
• Nihad Awad
CAIR Proposes World Islamophobia Report
Article available at: http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2005-01/14/article05.shtml
• Jemstone
Islam & The West
Article available at: http://www.jemstone.net/islam.php
• Ekkehard Rudolph / International Eurasian Institute for Economic and Political Research
Muslim Minorities and European Identities
Article available at: http://www.iicas.org/english/enlibrary/libr_13_12_01ip.htm
• Sahar Kassaimah
American Muslims Role in the Political Process
Article available at: http://www.masnet.org/views.asp?id=960
• George Gerges
Islam and Muslims in the Minds of America
Article available at: http://www.fathom.com/course/21701771/sessions.html
• Zafarul-Islam Khan
Islam-West confrontation - An Islamic point of view
Article available at: http://www.noterrorisminislam.com/english/articles/
islam_west_confrontation.htm
Page 98
References and Sources
http://mediaguidetoislam.sfsu.edu/home/index.htm
Page 99
The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
BOOKS
• Dr. Ahmed, Akbar (1989) Discovering Islam: Making Sense of Muslim History and
Society, Routledge, an imprint of Taylor & Francis Books Lt
• Dr. Ahmed, Akbar (2003) Islam Under Siege: Living Dangerously in a Post-honor
World (Themes for the 21st Century S.), Polity Press
• Dr. Ahmed, Akbar (2004) Postmodernism and Islam: Predicament and Promise,
Routledge, an imprint of Taylor & Francis Books Lt
• Dr. Ahmed, Akbar (1998) Islam Today: A Short Introduction to the Muslim World,
I.B. Tauris
• Bukhari, Zahid H., Nyang,Sulayman S., Ahmad, Mumtaz, Esposito, John L.(2004)
Muslims' Place in the American Public Square: Hope, Fears, and Aspirations, Al-
tamira Press
• Cesari, Jocelyne (1998) Muslims and the Republic: Youth, Islam and France,
• Cesari, Jocelyne, co-authored with Bernard Botiveau (1997) Gopolitique des islams
(Geopolitics of Islam)
• Cesari, Jocelyne (2004) When Islam and Democracy Meet: Muslims in Europe and
in the United States, Palgrave Macmillan
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References and Sources
BOOKS
• Esposito, John (2002) What Everyone Needs to Know About Islam, Oxford
University Press
• Esposito, John (1997) Islam, The Straight Path, Oxford University Press; 3rd edition
• Esposito, John (2003) Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam, Oxford University
Press Inc, USA
• Esposito, John (1999) The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality, Oxford University Press
Inc, USA
• Esposito, John with Burgat, Francois (2003) Modernizing Islam: Religion in the
Public Sphere in the Middle East and Europe, Rutgers University Press
• Esposito, John with Voll, John (2001) Makers of Contemporary Islam, Oxford
University Press
• Hippler, Jochen and Lueg, Andrea (1995) The Next Threat, Western Perceptions of
Islam, Pluto Press Ltd
• Lewis, Bernard (2004) The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror, Random
House Trade
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The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
BOOKS
• Said, Edward (1996), Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine
How We See the Rest of the World, Vintage
• Shaheen, Jack (1997), Arab and Muslim Stereotyping in American Popular Cul-
ture, Georgetown University Center for Muslim
Page 102
References and Sources
WHITE PAPERS/REPORTS
The Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia was set up by the Runnymede Trust in
1996. Its first report, Islamophobia: a challenge for us all, was published in 1997 and was
launched at the House of Commons by the Home Secretary, Jack Straw MP. A follow-up
report, Islamophobia – issues, challenges and action, was published in June 2004.
O ur newspapers and television screens have again shown us images of Muslim men
burning American flags whilst brandishing rifles, juxtaposed with angry young men
shouting outside a north London mosque. Afghan women covered from head to toe in the
burqha followed by women wearing the hijab protesting against military action outside the
Pakistan embassy in London. And amongst all this, we are shown images of Muslim children
holding placards bearing the face of Osama bin Laden on the streets of Islamabad.
E minent scholars, of course, have long explicated the ways in which Islamic culture
generally is not conducive to democratic practice, though some others have disputed this
claim. The experts had said that democracy ought not to be a high priority of the international
community in Afghanistan. In a widely read paper early in the year, two leading thinkers on
democratization strategies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace had argued
instead that a modus vivendi had to be established with the warlords who had made common
cause with U.S. forces to rout the Taliban.
Thomas O. Melia is an associate at the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy and adjunct
professor in the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service
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The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
WHITE PAPERS/REPORTS
M y main argument is simple, yet it is at odds with most popular and academic understand-
ings of Islam. I argue that Islam cannot be understood except as a major and complex
religious system, shaped as much by its own metaphysical postulates and ethical demands as
by the circumstances of Muslim polities in the modern world. The last two hundred years have
witnessed challenge upon challenge, from colonial subjugation to sporadic revivalism to elitist
reform movements to, most recently, pervasive struggles with fundamentalism or Islamism.
During each phase, Muslims have had to address internal tensions as well as external threats.
Prof. Bruce B. Lawrence - (1998/2000).
R ecent efforts by the Israeli government and America’s pro-Israel lobby have focused ex-
tensively on media coverage of the current crisis between Palestinians and Israelis. From
demanding that CNN replace reporters of Palestinian descent with “pro-Israeli reporters” to hir-
ing three additional PR firms to deal with the U.S. media, Israel’s allies have ratcheted up the
media war. Go to any pro-Israel organization’s website and you can find a plethora of action
alerts charging that the Western media has it in for Israel. But the truth is, in fact, quite the op-
posite and much more disturbing.
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References and Sources
WHITE PAPERS/REPORTS
A LLAH - for Muslims the greatest and most inclusive of the Names of God, an Arabic word
of rich and varied meaning, denoting the one who is adored in worship, who creates all
that exists, who had priority over all creation, who is lofty and hidden, who confounds all
human understanding. It is exactly the same word that the Jews, in Hebrew, use for God
(eloh), the word which Jesus Christ used in Aramaic when he prayed to God. God has an
identical name in Judaism, Christianity and Islam; Allah is the same God worshipped by
Muslims, Christians and Jews.
O n June 18, 2003, leading scholars of the American Muslim communities spoke to a
Washington audience of 175 drawn from the executive and legislative branches of the
federal government, the media, Muslim-American organizations, secular civil society
organizations, universities, and the general public. The conference, “Muslims in the United
States: Demography, Beliefs, Institutions,” sponsored by the Division of United States Studies
of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, began a discussion that is continued
in these pages.
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The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
ISLAMIC WEBSITES
Islamic Websites on this topic
ADC is a civil rights organization committed to defending the rights of people of Arab descent
and promoting their rich cultural heritage. ADC is the largest Arab-American grassroots organi-
zation in the United States. It was founded in 1980 by former U.S. Senator James Abourezk
and has chapters nationwide.
Our main goal is to organize the American Muslim community in the mainstream public affairs,
civic discourse and party politics all across the United States. As a nation wide community we
must organize ourselves nation wide: in every state and every congressional district. It is our
mission to organize Muslims in all fifty states and have an AMA chapter in each of the 435
Congressional Districts. Currently, AMA has 98 chapters in 31 states.
The American Muslim Council was established in 1990 to increase the effective participation of
American Muslims in the U.S. political and public policy arenas. The American Muslim popula-
tion, estimated at seven million, comprises Americans of all races and ethnic backgrounds.
AMC aims to promote ethical values that enhance the quality of life for all Americans and to
catalyze the greater presence of American Muslims in mainstream public life.
The AMF is strictly a non-political organization; it is more a religious and educational institution.
The Foundation promotes efforts toward safeguarding the religious identity of the future gen-
eration of Muslims through its educational programs and community building activities. We be-
lieve that these efforts will contribute toward their success and welfare in their new environ-
ment and adds to the diversity of the American Society. We do not receive financial support
from the U.S. government or from any source outside the United States; rather, the AMF is en-
tirely sustained by Muslims in America.
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References and Sources
ISLAMIC WEBSITES
Founded in 1985, the Arab American Institute (AAI) is a non-profit organization committed to
the civic and political empowerment of Americans of Arab descent. AAI is a membership
organization based in Washington, DC that represents the policy and community interests of
Arab Americans throughout the United States. We focus in two areas: campaigns and
elections, and policy formulation and research.
Their vision is to establish a vibrant American Muslim community that will enrich American
society through promoting the Islamic values of Mercy, Justice, Peace, Human Dignity,
Freedom, and Equality for all.
Their mission is to effect positive change in public opinion and in policy with the purpose of
realizing the vision. The scope of the mission includes, but is not limited to, the following:
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The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
ISLAMIC WEBSITES
MAPS is based at the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding (CMCU), Georgetown Uni-
versity, Washington, DC. The center was founded in 1993 to foster a civilizational dialogue be-
tween the Muslim World and the West, Islam and Christianity. As part of the university's fa-
mous Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, it attracts students, visiting professors and
noted scholars from Middle East, Asia, Europe and America. This international mix generates a
cross-cultural view of the world and furthers the Center's mission of dispelling discrimination
and prejudice. The Center's founding Director, John L. Esposito is Professor of Religion and
International Affairs.
IslamOnline
http://www.islamonline.net
This site aims to present a unified and lively Islam that keeps up with modern times in all ar-
eas. Their mission is to create a unique, global Islamic site on the Internet that provides ser-
vices to Muslims and non-Muslims in several languages. To become a reference for everything
that deals with Islam, its sciences, civilization and nation. To have credibility in content, distinc-
tion in design, and a sharp and balanced vision of humanity and current events.
The Muslim American Society (MAS) is a charitable, religious, social, cultural, and educational,
not-for-profit organization. It is a pioneering Islamic organization, an Islamic revival, and reform
movement that uplifts the individual, family, and society.
Established in 1971, the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) is a non-ethnic, non-sectarian,
open to all, independent, North America wide, grass root organization. The goal of ICNA shall
be to seek the pleasure of Allah (SWT) through the struggle of Iqamat-ud-Deen (establishment
of the Islamic system of life) as spelled out in the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muham-
mad (pbuh).
The Coordinating Council of Muslim Organizations (CCMO) has been established to serve as a
platform of unity and coordination for all Muslim organizations in the Washington Metropolitan
area.
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References and Sources
ISLAMIC WEBSITES
This informational site from the U.S. State Department offers regional profiles, issues on focus,
key documents and publications on the Middle East and North Africa. It also host’s links to
International organizations, think tanks and universities.
MSA National has been one of the oldest and most influential religious organizations in North
America. MSA National was the precursor of ISNA, ICNA, MAYA, IMA, AMSS, AMSE, MYNA,
Islamic Book Service, and the North American Islamic Trust (It has been Serving Muslim
students since 1963). MSA National serves Muslim students during their college and university
careers by facilitating their efforts to establish, maintain, and develop chapters of Muslim
Student Associations, Unions, Organizations, and Islamic Societies. Emphasis is placed on the
learning and well-being of the individual Muslim student, as well as networking and growth of
the chapter through sponsorship of educational programs, camps, zonal and annual
conferences, and worker training programs.
The United Association for Studies and Research, Inc. (UASR) was incorporated as a non-
profit Organization in 1989 by a number of scholars, journalists, and businessmen for the study
of on-going issues in the Middle East, such as the Arab-Israeli conflict. In addition, UASR's
founders envisioned an organization that would promote greater dialogue and understanding
among ideologically disparate groups in the Arab and Islamic worlds. The UASR includes in its
goals the promotion of constructive debate among observers of the region. The UASR's work
is also geared toward building bridges between the Western and Muslim worlds. The mutual
misunderstanding among the people of these civilizations is counterproductive. The UASR
aims to clarify perspectives on all sides of the ideological spectrum.
Universal Muslim Association of America (UMAA) seeks to provide a forum to foster unity
among Muslims, to encourage Muslims to participate in the civic and political responsibilities,
to dispel misgivings about Islam and the Muslims and help fellow Americans better understand
Islam in the light of Qur'an and the teachings and practice of the Prophet Muhammad (s) and
his Ahlul Bayt (a), and to take all necessary measures to help implement the UMAA
Objectives that, among other things, include social, religious, economic and political
advancement of Muslims in America.
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The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
ISLAMIC WEBSITES
• To ensure that the concerns of the American Muslim community regarding Jerusalem
and its environs are understood and respected in the formulation of U.S. policy.
• To present accurate and timely information to the mass media and other interested par-
ties.
• To raise the awareness of the American society in general and work for a just and com-
prehensive solution to the issue of Jerusalem.
Since 1946 the Middle East Institute has been an important conduit of information between
Middle Eastern nations and American Policy makers and organizations. From our founding in
1946 until today we have worked to increase knowledge of the Middle East among our own
citizens and to promote understanding between the peoples of the Middle East and America.
Today we play a vital and unique role on Middle Eastern issues by carrying our work beyond
the beltway and by working actively with organizations in the region itself.
Al-Islam.org
http://www.al-islam.org
The purpose is to facilitate dissemination of knowledge through this global medium to locations
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References and Sources
ISLAMIC WEBSITES
where such resources are not commonly or easily accessible. In addition, we aim to encourage
research and enquiry which the use of technology facilitates. With Al-Islam.org, we attempt to
present a balanced and accurate picture of Islam as it has been taught and practiced by the
Most Noble Messenger Muhammad (s) and his family, the Ahlul Bayt (a).
IANA was born in the beginning of 1414 A.H., corresponding to mid 1993 C.E. This was the
result of a meeting of a number of individuals who were concerned and active in the field of
daawah in the United States and Canada. These individuals were representatives of a number
of Islamic Centers and organizations. It was the hope of these individuals that daawah in
America and elsewhere will achieve an important step when people work together as a group.
The Institute is primarily concerned with monitoring the progress taking place in Islamic political
thinking and with identifying the fields in which ijtihad ought to be encouraged and supported.
The Institute aims to compile innovative studies in the field of Islamic politics, to establish links
with prominent thinkers and scholars and to identify potential creative thinkers so as to
encourage them and help them develop talents and capabilities. The Institute also aims to
assess the experiences of Islamic movements and their contributions to Islamic political
thought.
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The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
The Graduate Program in Religion at Duke University is designed to foster the scholarly study
of religion and to equip persons of distinguished academic ability for teaching in departments
of religion in colleges and universities, as well as in theological seminaries.
The Yale Department of Religious Studies, established in its present form in 1963, provides
opportunities for the scholarly study of a number of religious traditions and disciplines. At the
undergraduate level, the Department offers a wide array of courses that cover the major relig-
ions of the world, with a strong emphasis on their history and their intellectual traditions
The School of International Service provides a unique environment for learning and profes-
sional enhancement. It is a community comprised of scholars, practitioners, and students from
around the world. The School of International Service community has tripartite governance with
faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students involved in every facet of community
life. The Graduate Student Council and the Undergraduate Cabinet are partners with the
school's faculty in addressing emerging research issues, promoting public dialogue, and pro-
viding service to the larger community.
The Religious Studies Program is designed to provide a liberal arts background with an em-
phasis upon religious traditions and phenomena. The Department is non-sectarian and aims to
serve all students with or without religious affiliation. Students of all religions and ethnic back-
grounds are welcome to enroll in individual Religious Studies courses or to complete the Reli-
gious Studies Major or Minor.
The UNC Department of Religious Studies is dedicated to the study of the world's religions as
historical and cultural phenomena. In large introductory classes and small upper-level semi-
nars, students and faculty explore religious traditions and their history, sacred texts, belief sys-
tems, rituals, and institutions.
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References and Sources
The Department of Religious Studies is one of the oldest departments of its kind at an
American public university. It is normally ranked third among the nation's undergraduate
programs in religious studies by the Gourman Report, higher than any other academic unit at
UNC.
The Department of African Studies was established to offer the masters of arts degree in 1953.
In 1969, the unit was placed in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences offering both M.A.
and Ph.D. degrees in African Studies. Howard University was the first university in the United
States to offer a Ph.D. in African Studies. In 1988, the Howard University Board of Trustees
approved the recommendation of the African Studies with both graduate and undergraduate
programs. Since 1991 both programs have been fully functioning as components of the
Department of African Studies at Howard University. The main objective of graduate studies in
the Department is to train scholars in the field of African Studies with emphasis on
contemporary issues of public policy and development, world affairs, and the arts.
The Center for Middle East Policy seeks to present a frank and accurate account of
developments in the Middle East utilizing primary sources both from Israel and the Arab world
to provide thorough, credible, and timely analysis of events, ideas, and trends. The Center has
become a well-respected information source for key policymakers in the United States and
Israel, as well as, in certain cases, from those in the Arab world.
The Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES) was founded in 1954 for the purpose of
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The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
furthering the study of the Middle East at Harvard University. This mandate has included a primary em-
phasis on the centuries since the rise of Islam and a concern with the wider Islamic world as well. CMES
serves Harvard as the coordinating body and the primary source of additional support for the
various academic programs that cover the vast region from Morocco and North Africa to Tur-
key and Iran.
Middle Eastern Studies has been taught at Berkeley since 1894, and Berkeley today is one of
thirteen national resource centers designated by the United States Department of Education
for the study of the Middle East. The principal mission is to enhance awareness of the Middle
East and of its diverse peoples and cultures. The center promotes both specialized knowledge
and public understanding of this crucial area of the world, which includes the Arab states, Tur-
key, Iran, and Israel.
The Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies at New York University was created in
1966 to foster the interdisciplinary study of the modern and contemporary Middle East and to
enhance public understanding of the region. The Kevorkian Center's activities focus on the his-
tories, politics, economies, religions, cultures and languages of the area stretching from North
Africa to Central Asia.
Princeton University has a history going back almost 250 years, and an involvement in Near
Eastern studies that began as early as 1899. However, it was not until 1927 that a Department
of Oriental Languages and Literatures, covering both the Near East and East Asia, was for-
mally established.
In 1947 the interdisciplinary Program in Near Eastern Studies was set up, and in 1969 the De-
partment of Oriental Languages and Literatures was divided into the Departments of Near
Eastern Studies and East Asian Studies. The two independent departments continue to share
Jones Hall, a small but attractive building originally constructed for Princeton's mathematicians,
and in which Einstein had his first office in Princeton. Princeton's "Near East" is pretty much
the same as the "Middle East", plus North Africa; that is to say, it includes Turkey, Iran, all the
Arab countries, and Israel. In addition, one faculty member is a specialist on Islamic Africa
south of the Sahara.
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Profiles of Experts Interviewed
Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies is one of Britain's premier centres for
teaching and research, with staff who have international reputations both in practical journalism
and in research and publication. The Cardiff School of Journalism, Media & Cultural Studies
(JOMEC) is one of the largest media departments in the UK, with over 40 academic staff and
eleven support staff and a total student body of over 800, including 200 postgraduates. In the
early 1970's, Cardiff pioneered journalism education in British Universities and has gone on to
build a world renowned centre for the study of all aspects of journalism, mass media and
cultural studies.
ISLAMIC WEBSITES
UK Muslim Organizations
UK Islamic Mission (UKIM)
http://www.ukim.org/
The UK Islamic Mission is a national organization with over 40 branches and Islamic Centers
working across the United Kingdom. The UK Islamic Mission formed in the early 1960’s, it has
served the Muslim community in particular and has helped to build bridges of understanding
and mutual respect across faith communities.
Since it was set up in 1961, the Muslim Students Society has always stood for the balanced,
forward thinking, and comprehensive Islamic way. Furthermore, we have always felt that the
only way Muslims will progress in the West is if they are educated, responsible, politically
aware, productive, and proactive and if they contribute positively to the society in which they
live.
Their Objectives are, To promote cooperation, consensus and unity on Muslim affairs in the
UK; To encourage and strengthen all existing efforts being made for the benefit of the Muslim
community; To work for a more enlightened appreciation of Islam and Muslims in the wider
society; To establish a position for the Muslim community within British society that is fair and
based on due rights; To work for the eradication of disadvantages and forms of discrimination
faced by Muslims; To foster better community relations and work for the good of society as a
whole.
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The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
ISLAMIC WEBSITES
UK Muslim Organizations
Currently IFE has branches across Britain; and in the following countries; Austria, France, Bel-
gium, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland.
The Islamic Society of Britain (ISB) was set up to provide a vehicle for committed British Mus-
lims to combine their knowledge, skills and efforts for the benefit of one another and British so-
ciety as a whole, through the promotion of Islam and Islamic values.
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Profiles of Experts Interviewed
Mr. Al-Marayati is the director and one of the founders of the Muslim Public Affairs Council
(MPAC). He has been a member of the Executive Committee of the California Democratic
Party. He served as a liaison to the Muslim community for Los Angeles City Councilman
Robert Farrel. He obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in Bio-Chemistry from the University
of California (UCLA). He then received an Executive Master’s degree in Business
Administration from the University of California-Irvine (UCI).
He has written extensively on Islam, human rights, democracy, Middle East politics, the Balkan
Crisis, and the Transcaucus conflict. His articles and interviews have appeared on such
prominent newspapers as The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Christian
Science Monitor, The LA Daily News, The Chicago Tribune, The San Francisco Chronicle and
USA Today. He has appeared on radio and TV talk shows including C-SPAN and NBC.
John L. Esposito, Georgetown University, Professor of Religion and International Affairs and
of Islamic Studies, Founding Director of the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding
Previously, he was Loyola Professor of Middle East Studies and Director of the Center for
International Studies at the College of the Holy Cross. He has served as President of the
Middle East Studies Association of North America and of the American Council for the Study of
Islamic Societies as well as a consultant to governments, multinational corporations, and the
media worldwide.
Esposito is Editor-in-Chief of The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World, The
Oxford History of Islam, The Oxford Dictionary of Islam and Oxford’s The Islamic World: Past
and Present. His more than 30 books include: Unholy War: Terror in the Name of Islam, What
Everyone Needs to Know About Islam, The Islamic Threat: Myth or Reality?, Islam and
Politics, Islam: The Straight Path, Modernizing Islam (with F. Burgat), Islam and Democracy
and Makers of Contemporary Islam (with John Voll), Political Islam: Radicalism, Revolution or
Reform?
Dr. Carl W. Ernst, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Chair of the Department of
Religious Studies
Carl W. Ernst is a specialist in Islamic studies, with a focus on West and South Asia. His
published research, based on the study of Arabic, Persian, and Urdu, has been mainly devoted
to the study of Islam and Sufism. His most recent book, Following Muhammad:
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The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
Rethinking Islam in the Contemporary World has been awarded the 2004 Bashrahil Prize for
Outstanding Cultural Achievement.
He studied comparative religion at Stanford University (A.B. 1973) and Harvard University
(Ph.D. 1981), and has done research tours in India (1978-79, 1981), Pakistan (1986, 2000),
and Turkey (1991), and has also visited Iran (1996, 1999) and Uzbekistan (2003). He has
taught at Pomona College (1981-1992) and has been appointed as visiting lecturer in Paris
(1991, 2003), Seville (2001), and Kuala Lumpur (2005). A faculty member of the Department of
Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since 1992, and department
chair 1995-2000.
Dr. Amir Hussain, California State University Northridge, Professor, Department of Religious
Studies
His area of research is on the study of Islam, specifically contemporary Muslim societies in
North America. His PhD dissertation was on Muslim communities in Toronto. His doctoral the-
sis is on “Islam as a Canadian Religious Phenomena" (and he would like to do similar work on
the Islamic phenomena in the United States).
He has published an article on "The Concept of Law in Islam." He has co-authored the chapter
on Islam in a book called "Faith in My Neighbor: World Religions in Canada." He did his un-
dergraduate work in psychology and graduate work at the University of Toronto in Comparative
Religions.
He is on the editorial board of a new journal, Comparative Islamic Studies. And is part of the
research network for the Islam and Human Rights Fellowship Program at Emory University.
Dr. Akbar Ahmed, American University, Chair of Islamic Studies and professor of International
Relations
Dr. Ahmed is a distinguished anthropologist, writer and filmmaker. He has been actively in-
volved in inter-faith dialogue — and his work to bring understanding between Islam and the
West has included three appearances on Oprah and a BBC news series called "Living Islam"
— broadcast for the first time in 1993.
Dr. Ahmed first became interested in Muslim leadership and its impact on Muslim society in the
1980s — when he was Pakistani Commissioner in Baluchistan. The study of global Islam and
its impact on contemporary society has been the major focus of his work since. From 1999 to
2000, Dr. Ahmed was the Pakistani High Commissioner (Ambassador) to the United Kingdom.
He has also held many other senior positions in Pakistan. Dr. Akbar Ahmed is also a member
of The Globalist's Global Advisory Board.
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Profiles of Experts Interviewed
His many award-winning books include: Discovering Islam: Making Sense of Muslim History
and Society, Postmodernism and Islam: Predicament and Promise, Islam Today: A Short
Introduction to the Muslim World and Jinnah Quartet.
Dr. Meyrav Wurmser, Hudson Institute, Director and Senior Fellow at the Center for Middle
East
Dr. Wurmser, the former Executive Director of the MEMRI: Middle East Media Research
Institute, is a leading scholar of the Arab world. She helped to educate policymakers about the
Palestinian Authority two-track approach to 'negotiating peace' with Israel.
Dr. Wurmser is a columnist for the Jerusalem Post and a frequent guest on radio and
television, including BBC, Fox News, CNN, PBS and CNBC. Wurmser has written numerous
books and monographs on Israel, the Arab world, and Zionism.
Her most recent book is The Schools of Ba'athism--a Study of Syrian Schoolbooks. Wurmser,
who has taught political science at the Johns Hopkins University and the United States Naval
Academy, has published articles in such publications as the Weekly Standard, the Middle East
Quarterly, the Washington Times, the Middle East Journal and Middle East Insight.
Richardson joined Insted in 1996, having previously been director of the Runnymede Trust and
before that chief inspector in Brent and adviser for multicultural education in Berkshire. He has
worked as a consultant or lecturer in a range of governmental and other organizations in the
UK, in most west European countries, and in Australia, Czech Republic, Israel, Kenya,
Lesotho, India, Japan, South Africa and the United States.
Robin acted as consultant and editor for the Commission on the Future of Multi-Ethnic Britain
chaired by Lord Parekh (1998–2000); the Commission on British Muslims and Islamophobia,
1996–2004; the British Council in 2002; and the Churches’ Commission for Racial Justice,
2002–2004. With Angela Wood he is co-author of Inside Stories (1992), Inclusive Schools,
Inclusive Society (1999) and The Achievement of British Pakistani Learners: Work in Progress
(2004).
He was a senior international policy analyst with the RAND Corporation until 2002. He has
taught philosophy in Paris and was a foreign correspondent in Germany and Central Europe
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The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
for La Vie Francaise. He later co-founded and managed GeoPol Services S.A., a Geneva,
Switzerland, consulting company that advised multinational corporations and banks.
Prior to moving to the US, he was an adviser to the French Ministry of Defense and taught the
history of economic planning at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS)
in Paris. He has taught military analysis and cultural anthropology at the Elliott School of Inter-
national Affairs at George Washington University. He earned his B.A., Phil. and M.A., Phil.
from the Sorbonne University in Paris.
He is a contributor to The National Interest, Middle East Quarterly and other journals, and he is
a columnist for the Daily Telegraph (London) and Welt am Sonntag (Berlin). He has lectured at
Columbia University, Georgetown, SAIS-Johns Hopkins, Corpus Christi Coll., Cambridge, UK,
the U.S. Naval Academy, the Canadian Forces College and the Royal Canadian Military Col-
lege, the Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Dfense Nationale in Paris.
Professor Sulayman Nyang, Howard University, Professor of the department of African Stud-
ies & Director & co-principle investigator Muslims in American Public Square, MAPS. Professor
Sulayman Nyang has a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Virginia, Charlottes-
ville. He teaches at the department of African Studies, Howard University in Washington, D. C.
He served as department chair from 1986 to 1993. He also served, from 1975 to 1978, as
Deputy Ambassador of the Gambian Embassy in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He is currently the
Lead Developer for the African Voice Project of the Museum of Natural History of the Smith-
sonian Institution.
Professor Nyang has served on the boards of the African Studies Association, the American
Council for the Study of the Islamic Societies and the Association of Muslim Social Scientists.
He is also a member of the Academic Council of the Center for the Muslim-Christian Under-
standing. He is a frequent lecturer on college campuses, Islamic centers and national conven-
tions of various Islamic organizations of North America. He has written extensively on Islamic,
African and Middle Eastern affairs and has also contributed over a dozen chapters in edited
books. His recent book, Islam in the United States of America (1999), is a collection of essays
written over several years.
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Profiles of Experts Interviewed
Al-Qatami has also served as an editorial consultant for a wide range of documentaries and
educational programs about Arabs, Arab Americans, Islam, and Civil Rights in the US. These
programs have aired on PBS, Discovery, Showtime, BBC, MTV, and Nickelodeon in addition to
several independent films. She was an editor of the 1998-2000 Report on Hate Crimes and
Discrimination Against Arab Americans: The Post September 11 Backlash (ADC, 2002). She
continues to edit and design ADC publications, including the ADC Times. She has a B.S in
Journalism from the University of Colorado and an M.A. in Arab Studies from Georgetown
University.
He has been on the faculty at Duke University since 1971. A graduate of Princeton University,
with a Master of Divinity from Episcopal Divinity School (Cambridge), he earned his doctorate
at Yale University in History of Religions. There he was trained to engage the large swath of
Asia known as West and South Asia, with particular reference to the cultures and languages,
the history and religious practices marked as Muslim. But he also concerns himself with the
non-Muslim religious traditions of Asia, especially Hinduism and Buddhism, Sikhism and
Jainism, at the same time that he pursues the turbulent reconnections of Europe to Asia that
were forged in colonial, then post-colonial encounters.
His early books explored the intellectual and social history of Asian Muslims. The test case of
fundamentalism became the topic of his award-winning monograph, Defenders of God: The
Fundamentalist Revolt Against the Modern Age (1989/1995). A parallel but narrower enquiry
informed his latest monograph, Shattering the Myth: Islam beyond Violence (1998/2000).
Tudor Lomas is Director of the Jemstone Network, a media and development consultancy
which he established in 1999 after four years on secondment from the BBC to an EU-funded
project aimed at increasing contacts and understanding between media professionals in the
Middle East and Europe. He had joined the BBC as a graduate news trainee from Oxford
University and worked as a journalist, manager and broadcaster on both radio (Today and File
on Four) and TV (On the Record and Westminster), as well as various jobs outside the BBC.
Mr. Lomas obtained honours degree at Oriel College, Oxford University in Politics, Philosophy
and Economics and an Oxford MA.
Dr. Zahid H. Bukhari, Georgetown University, Director, American Muslim Studies Program
(AMSP)
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The Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
Dr. Bukhari is currently working as Director Pew Project: Muslims in American Public Square,
and Fellow, Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University Dr. Bukhari
has a Masters in Economics from the University of Karachi and Ph.D. in Political Science from
the University of Connecticut.
His research interests have focused on religion and politics in the United States. He has a vast
experience in all aspects of survey research. From 1978-1983, he worked as founding
executive director of the Pakistan Institute of Public Opinion (PIPO), Islamabad, a member of
Gallup International. He has published and presented papers on Islam and development,
Muslim public opinion in the US and other related topics in national and international forums.
Dr. Bukhari has an extensive experience of working with various Islamic organizations and also
with other religious groups of USA. He was one of the founders of the National Islamic Shura
Council, a representative body of the American Muslims consisting of four national Islamic
organizations. Dr. Bukhari also worked as Secretary General of the Islamic Circle of North
America (ICNA) from 1990 to 1995. Since 1996, he has also been the chairman of ICNA
Relief, a not-for-profit relief organization, which operates national and international projects.
Mr. Mostyn has been a journalist, publisher and consultant in the Arab world, Iran and India.
He spent four years traveling for seven months a year as Macmillan Publishers Middle East
Manager before moving to create MEED Books for the Middle East Economic Digest. He
created and ran the European Union’s post Oslo-Accords Med Media and Peace Media
Programmes (1991-96) and he launched the EU’s Gulf Media Programme and UNDP’s
Palestine Media Programme.
Today he mainly deals with human rights and censorship. His languages are French, Arabic,
Spanish, and Persian. He was deputy Financial Times correspondent in Cairo and is a Middle
East correspondent for The Tablet newspaper and has written for Prospect magazine, the
Evening Standard, the Times, the International Herald Tribune and The Wall Street Journal
and occasionally broadcast on the BBC World Service. And he has written for the New
Statesman on the Revolution in Iran and the Civil War in Lebanon.
Jocelyne Cesari, Harvard University, Fellow at The Center for Middle Eastern Studies
(CMES) Emergence of a Minority), 1991) was a pioneer work on the condition of Muslims as a
religious minority.
In 1998, she created the Network On Comparative Research Islam Muslims in Europe
(NOCRIME), comprising nine scholars from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the UK
and the Netherlands. The network's purpose is to move beyond collections of case studies of
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Background and Acknowledgments
Ms. Cesari has taught at Columbia University, where she conducted research on the
transnational Muslim elite in the US under the auspices of the Ford Foundation.
Mr. Awad is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Council on American-Islamic
Relations (CAIR), the largest non-profit Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the
United States. He has been frequently interviewed on national and international media such as
CNN, BBC World Service, PBS, C-SPAN, National Public Radio, The New York Times, The
Washington Post, Voice of America and Al-Jazeerah.
In 1997, Mr. Awad served on Vice President Al Gore’s Civil Rights Advisory Panel to the White
House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security. Mr. Awad has also personally met with
former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and current Secretary of State Colin L. Powell to
discuss the needs of the American Muslim community. For the 2000 presidential election, Mr.
Awad was a key figure in the American Muslim Political Coordinating Committee (AMPCC). He
has also spoken at prestigious educational institutions, including Harvard, Stanford and Johns
Hopkins Universities. He was also a featured speaker at the 2002 Reuters Forum on global
cooperation at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Mr. Awad is also
featured in Silent No More by former United States Representative Paul Findley (R-IL), a book
chronicling the history of the American Muslim community.
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