When looking at the Canadian comedy Little Mosque on the Prairie, Canas (2008) looks at the impact of stereotyping and the consequence of stigmas steeped in Orientalist notions. Canas explains the ideology of orientalism to be "the exoticization and colonization of the Other by means of discourse and representation" (2008, 196).
As Hall (2000) explains discourse and representation involve language and most importantly, the manipulation of that language. Language and representations can be positive or negative but always powerful. Language, as Hall suggests, is not contained within a vacuum (2000). Words, symbols and expressions within certain contexts take on certain meanings, communicate particular messages and leave lasting attitudes. When these discourses communicate certain messages or opinions on religions and cultures, the lasting attitudes that remain can be detrimental to society and the interaction between 'us' and 'them'.
Canas explains "Orientalist discourses portray Muslims as inferior,premodern, and violent,unlike the West, which emerges as superior, modern, and enlightened". If we are to look at orientalism in such a way then it is clear we are surrounded by its infiltration of mainstream Australian media coverage. The media can affect and shape views on how we see a Muslim, what face we give to Islam. When considering this issue one doesn't have to look far. Only last year in 2012 there was a media frenzy of what was framed as the Muslim riots; an usurpation of dangerous anti-Western pro-Muslim protesting!
Although the protest began peacefully the violent acts of a few were flashed across front pages of newspapers and headlines in news bulletins. That face of Islam I said the media has the power to recreate? Well regardless of the peaceful protesters and the Muslims who looked on outraged and sickened by the violence, that face became more consistent with the one we see above: an angry, dangerous Muslim youth. The overwhelming media coverage of the placards such as the one above infiltrated our mainstream media for days and weeks. Whether this sign was visible among a sea of other protesters becomes irrelevant. The photograph is taken and the image is circulated and now the whole country is reminded of a Muslim youth who thinks he has the religious rite to go around beheading film makers and loose-lipped comedians.
I give you the power of an image. The power, as Hall explains of "representation".
References:
Cañas S. 2008. The Little Mosque on the Prairie: Examining (Multi) Cultural Spaces of Nation and Religion. Cultural Dynamics, 20: 195-211. (RL). Also via: http://www.nabilechchaibi.com/resources/Canas.pdf
Hall S. 2000. Racist Ideologies and the Media. In P Marris and S Thornham, Eds., Media Studies: A Reader. 2nd Edn., New York, New York University Press. Ch. 22, 271-282. (RL)
Image: Wikipedia Commons , 17:36:37
