Is it true that Christianity is being marginalised by the secular media, at expense of Islam? Are mass media Islamophobic? atheism on rise in coverage? Media Portrayals Religion and Secular Sacred explores such questions argues television newspapers remain key sources popular information about religion. They are particularly significant a time when religious participation Europe declining yet public visibility influence religions seems to be increasing. Based extensive research conducted...

This article sets out findings from a project focused on #stopIslam, hashtag that gained prominence following the Brussels terror attack of 2016. We initially outline big data analysis which shows how counter-narratives – criticizing #stopIslam momentarily subverted negative news reporting Muslims. The rest details qualitative complicate this initial positive picture. set key tactics engaged in by right-wing actors, self-identified Muslim users, would-be allies and celebrities elucidate...

This article examines British newspaper coverage of Muslims during the first wave Coronavirus crisis. A well-established trajectory research shows that are negativized in mainstream media representation UK. However, it became obvious from outset pandemic, ethnic minority key workers were disproportionately affected by Coronavirus. This, alongside high levels support for NHS staff, had potential to challenge and shift established narratives about as questions structural discrimination subject...

This article intervenes in debates about whether public-facing social media enable the rapid spread of hate speech, or these platforms can offer valuable opportunities to contest it. Advancing scholarship on ‘networked counter-publics’ and research emphasising affective dimensions digital media, we identify three different modes counter-public contestation that coalesced Twitter immediate aftermath Christchurch terrorist attack. Using a combined keyword hashtag search, our project sampled...

There has been a dramatic surge in uses of big data analytics and automated methods to detect remove hate speech from social media, with these deployed both by platforms themselves within academic research. At the same time, recent scientific scholarship accused media decontextualizing complex sociological issues reducing them linguistic problems that can be straightforwardly mapped removed. Intervening debates, this article draws on findings two interdisciplinary projects, spanning five...

This article examines the reporting of "Operation Trojan Horse" affair in two British newspapers, Daily Mail and The Guardian, 2014. I argue that this high-profile case was a vehicle for Conservative-led Government, parts United Kingdom's press, to advance their doctrine muscular liberalism, an ideology locates rise extremism policies multiculturalism. In interpretation event, it argued that, under Labour council, schools Birmingham had been given freedom practise segregationist agenda,...

This paper sets out quantitative findings from a research project examining the dynamics of online counter-narratives against hate speech, focusing on #StopIslam, hashtag that spread racialized speech and disinformation directed towards Islam Muslims which trended Twitter after March 2016 terror attacks in Brussels. We elucidate counter-narrative through contrasting it with affordances original anti-Islamic narrative was trying to contest. then explore extent each taken up by mainstream...

It is widely agreed that the events which took place on 11 September 2001 have played a large part in reshaping global imaginings about contemporary acts of terrorism and their Islamic perpetrators. Given this transformation understanding terrorists, our objective article threefold. First we want to present discussion roots kind neo-liberal politics has grown up alongside its media coverage has, argue, resulted fear legitimate ever-increasing legislative controls. In an attempt reveal how...

This article advances research on mediated solidarity, by analyzing the contestation of Islamophobia social media platform Twitter, in context Brexit, Christchurch terror attack, and COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing a unique longitudinal dataset, gathered over 5-year period, we elucidate how evolving relations between platforms trigger events can enable solidarity networks to shift dominant narratives. Taking each event turn, demonstrate initial analysis these appear generate solidarities that...

This is an introduction to the <em>Open Library of Humanities</em> Special Collection 'Right-Wing Populism and Mediated Activism: Creative Responses Counter-Narratives'. It provides overview key issues debates in discussions social media activism, specifically relation populism, corresponding rise hate speech. a summary contributing articles which demonstrate digital practices far right strategies actors challenging The also elaborates on structure Collection.

This article aims to show how in the current political climate UK debates about multiculturalism, religion, and identity, relation Muslims, have played out public sphere through an examination of British news media coverage Geert Wilders case. Wilders, a far right Dutch MP, was refused entry February 2009 for inciting racial hatred. Coverage this event demonstrates struggles around identity taking place amongst various social, groups UK. I will Islam, particular, is currently central these...

How is religion represented in British media today? In this chapter, Taira, Poole and Knott provide a detailed answer, based on their research into television and newspaper reporting of 2008-10. As well as surveying references to conventional religion, also chart ‘common religion’ (things like fate, angels luck) the ‘secular sacred’ (things human rights freedom choice). The resulting statistical picture contains some surprises. There are more newspapers today than there were twenty...

This article critically examines existing theory on the uses of new technologies by minority communities to make connections, transforming identities and challenging traditional notions community. As with debate about in general, a utopian dystopian position has prevailed. Has development technologies, as optimists predict, opened up access liberated groups from established structural constraints? Internet been tool for mobilisation both socially politically? Or theorists such Robins Webster...

The world is currently witnessing a revitalisation of the right and authoritarian political tendencies. Right-wing forces across globe have been able to push misogynist, homophobic xenophobic discourses into mainstream politics media. Whilst these developments fuelled by neoliberal economic programmes unrolled since 1970s, sexism racism always anchored within structures real existing capitalism. This suggests, then, that many societal issues we are encountering today rooted in structural...

This article examines data from a year-long project, ‘Muslims in the European Mediascape’, which explored production and consumption of diversity issues United Kingdom Germany. Here, I report on findings minority (predominantly Muslim) media producers consumers Kingdom; these demonstrate both ambitions somewhat limited extent to they are met among audiences. The research reveals disconnect between their target audiences terms those audiences, despite similarity sociopolitical concerns....