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According to a new report from the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, Muslim characters are erased and painted as extremists in popular television series. In a new study, it has been disclosed that Muslims are almost not present in episodic content. Besides, they are still stereotyped in negative ways. Quantitative and qualitative aspects of Muslim representation in 200 top-rated television shows aired in four countries, the USA, the U.K, Australia, and New Zealand, from 2018 and 2019 are investigated in this study. The findings demonstrate the disheartening reality of Muslims on screen.
Dr Stacy L. Smith, Founder of USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative said: the findings in this study show the manner of including Muslims in popular storytelling– girls and women in particular- by content creators rarely. Qualitative findings of the study indicate that stereotypes are still an indication of Muslim representation on screen. Muslims in popular series are not only linked to violence but also they are often connected to “foreign” locations via story settings and language.
According to Academy Award-winner Riz Ahmed, TV shows play a major part in shaping how we understand the world, each other, and our place within it. When it comes to Muslim portrayals, a TV diet of stereotyping and erasure is still being fed to us. This has a message for Muslims that they don’t belong or don’t matter. And for other people, we risk normalizing fear, stigmatization and prejudice against Muslims.
Some solutions have been offered to enhance the representation of Muslims in entertainment, such as telling stories concentrated on Muslim characters, deepening the abundance of portrayals for supporting Muslim characters, and casting Muslims to underline their participation in broader society. The need for inclusion policies and practices across entertainment to incorporate faith-based communities besides race/ethnicity and other identity groups has been noted.
