Halima Begum

In this modern era, the representation of Islam and terrorism in Western media has been a contentious topic of multiple implications. This project entails a comprehensive analysis of the impact that the news media has had on the portrayal of Muslims and Islam. The goal is to offer a more-inclusive insight into the media coverage of jihad which led to the hijacking of the notion of jihad by Western mainstream media as well as a seemingly unfair representation of an entire nation. I will attempt to offer a rather detailed account on the terms “Islamist” and “jihad” as per their usage by the mainstream media. Furthermore, it will scrutinise the role of the media as a platform for neo-jihadis. This paper will endeavour to answer the following question: Firstly, has the concept of Jihad and the religion of Islam been overtaken by the Western media? Secondly, is the representation of Muslims in the mainstream Western media within an Islamophobic context? And finally, to what extent have the media policies and issues of censorship impacted the portrayal of Muslims and Islam in the media? Along with attempting to present a contextually informed answer to this question, this research will further touch upon the Impact of Orientalism on Islam and shed light on the guidelines and policies followed by media corporations with regards to conveying acts of terrorism.