Filtering Islam : an analysis of 'the expert on Islam' in Canadian news media

• Main Author: Popowich, Morris
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: McGill University 2005
• Subjects: Specialists.; Islam in mass media > Canada.; Islam > Press coverage > Canada.
• Online Access: http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=83141

A standard element of many news stories that mention Islam is the 'expert.' An expert contributes what is presented as objective knowledge about Islam to a news story. Through ostensibly objective statements, an expert plays a significant role in the representation of Islam. === In this thesis I theorize the concept of an 'expert on Islam' in news media and I confirm my theoretical positions through a content analysis of two Canadian newspapers' use of the expert on Islam; these two newspapers are The Globe and Mail and The National Post. === The thesis develops two arguments based on the results of the content analysis: first, the representation of Islam and expertise on Islam in news media has more to do with the preoccupations of Western culture than with Islam itself; second, there are distinct patterns in these representations that can contribute to an understanding of the role of the 'expert' in relations of power.