Manufacturing the Other Western Photographic Representation of Islam after 9 11

Abstract

Following the September 11 attacks, George W. Bush s administration labelled the Muslim countries as an Axis of Evil , unless supportive of the American War on Terror against Al Qaeda. The followers of Islam faced increased scrutiny from the law enforcement agencies, and anti-Islam sentiment rose profoundly. Muslims were subjected to discrimination, prejudice, and stereotyping in all walks of life. Media became a primary contributor to this altered state of societal perception that viewed Islam as promoting terrorism. Other stereotypes reproduced by the media became entrenched too, contributing to feelings of marginalisation among the Muslims globally. The construction of this essentialised Muslim Other legitimised the racial profiling and surveillance under the guise of security measures. The negative image of Muslims has persisted because of the continual reproduction of negative stories about Muslims in the Western media. Hijab bans in a number of countries and US President Donald Trump s so-called Muslim travel ban point to this persistence at the highest level. In this context, this study seeks to examine the photographic representation of Islam and Muslims through visual framing at a broader level and semiotic analysis at a micro level to decode the essentialising tendencies of the Western publications. By exploring the visual frame usage and patterns of the symbolic construction in the images, the study aims to contribute to our understanding of the ways photography has been invoked to sustain the Muslim Other ... newline