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 110-092 The Media Portrayal of Islam

Availability

2nd and 3rd year

Credit Points

12.5

Coordinator

Dr A Saeed

Semester

Not Offered (view timetable)

Contact

A 1-hour lecture and a 1.5-hour tutorial per week

Subject Description

This course will study the historical, psychological, cultural, political and economic reasons behind the Western perception and media portrayal of Islam as a menace. The experiences of the Crusades, and the period of colonisation and anti-colonial resistance will be studied from a number of thematic/ theoretical angles. Due attention will be given to a theoretical analysis of semiotics and psychology involved in the portrayal and its impact. Then the main themes of the perception and portrayal would be juxtaposed against the corresponding reality. The phenomenon of Orientalism will also be analysed and understood. Themes portraying Islam as menace will be studied against the reality of those themes as they actually exist in Islam. The course will progress through thinking about ways and means of correcting the portrayal of Islam as a threat, and help build mutual confidence between the Islamic and Western world. The benefits of such trust-building for a more reassured co-existence and cooperation will also be briefly reviewed.

Assessment

Written work totalling 4000 words.

Prescribed Texts

Materials prepared by the Institute.



Search : Index : Faculty of Arts : Islamic Studies
Prev 110-019 Researching Islam and Muslim Societies: Sources and Methods
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Status:                   Official 1999
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Email Enquiries:          Course_Information@registrar.unimelb.edu.au