It is brilliant that the media has the ability to influence society. The showcasing and publication of challenging ideas is illustrated as a wonderful resource by Canas (2008) in her exploration of the Canadian television comedy ‘Little Mosque on the Prairie.’ This show promotes cultural diversity and tolerance. Cana’s (2008) article clearly represents and portrays the positive power of the media whilst recognising historical negative representations of Muslims. Clear and concise examples provide deep and rich understandings of the issues facing Muslims in Canada and the representations of people groups. These examples are stark, they assume that ideas are absorbed by viewers, and portray historical representations of Muslims as ultimately negative. Ultimately they succeed in displaying the media’s role in portraying and influencing culture. It is clear that the media is viewed by Canas (2008) as a powerful and influential vehicle that has a place and role in the representation of religion.
According to Canas (2008, p195-196) the historical representation of Muslims has been distorted. Her outline of this assertion is clear. Orientalism is used to support the notion that historical representation of Muslims portrays them as “inferior, premodern, and violent” (Canas, 2008, p196). In particular the women are noted as “exotic and voluptuous belly dancers” (Canas, 2008, p195). According to Canas (2008, p196) the oriental portrayal of Muslims has been “greatly reinforced and spread by the media” since 9/11. This idea, is clearly valid and supported by several theorists who have studied media representations of Muslims (Canas, 2008, p195). Whether these portrayals are clearly Muslim is not discussed by Canas (2008). The difference between the portrayal of middle Eastern culture and Muslim identities is worthy of mention, as the two appear irrevocably linked by Canas. The absorption of these portrayals is either misrepresented and/or unabsorbed. The orientalist representation of the inferior and/or belly-dancing Muslim is not necessarily translated to viewers. Especially to those who can see a distinction between culture and religion. In reflection, Canas brief investigation of the portrayal of Muslims should be extended, as viewers do often distinguish between religion and culture.
What do you think? Have you absorbed the idea of the ‘inferior’ or ‘belly dancing’ Muslim? Has there been a distinction between culture and religion in these representations?
Canas S. (2008) ‘The Little Mosque on the Prairie: Examining (Multi) Cultural Spaces of Nation and Religion’ in Cultural Dynamics 20 (195) Accessed online at sagepub.com on 1/May/2012
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