Islamophobia: Making Muslims the Enemy - Hardcover

Gottschalk, Peter; Greenberg, Gabriel

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0742552861 ISBN 13: 9780742552869

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007

Synopsis

In an era when many Americans wonder whether Islam and the West inherently must clash, Islamophobia explores how this view in part derives from centuries-old stereotypes of Muslims as violent, oppressive, and intolerant. Islamophobia considers five decades of political cartoons, revealing Americans' casual demonizing and demeaning of Muslims and Islam. And the villainizing is shown to be as common among liberals as conservatives.

About this title

Review:

Islamophobia is an important contribution to the understanding of prejudice as a common factor in American culture, particularly the media. The analysis of political cartoons convincingly shows how pervasively anti-Arab and anti-Muslim attitudes have become accepted, even by people who probably consider themselves fair-minded. This study needs to be read by everyone concerned with the problems of religious and racial bias in America today.--Carl W. Ernst, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

A must read for anyone interested in understanding the underlying challenges that Muslims face in America. Provides an important insight into the stereotyping of Muslims that daily projects them as the different 'other.'--Yvonne Haddad, Georgetown University

As Islamophobia threatens to become the new anti-Semitism, Islamophobia: Making Islam the Enemy becomes 'must' reading. Gottschalk and Greenberg perceptively and graphically demonstrate the extent to which prejudice and discrimination against Islam and Muslims have become inherent in American mainstream culture.--John L. Esposito, author, What Everyone Needs to Know about Islam

This slim volume by Gottschalk and Greenberg is a splendid teaching tool for classroom use, not only because it provides a readily accessible narrative about American stereotyping of Islam and Muslims, but also due to its focus on the political cartoon. This would be a beneficial text for undergraduate courses on Islam or the Middle East, since it is both accessible and tackles a popular art form that has almost universal appeal.--Daniel Martin Varisco, Hofstra University; author of Islam Obscured: The Rhetoric of Anthropological Representation "Contemporary Islam, December 3, 2008 "

This groundbreaking book should be read and reread--readers will become acutely aware how cartoonists have repeatedly disparaged all things Muslim and Arab. The book teaches us to see beyond damaging stereotypes. It is a remarkable achievement, illustrating that there exists a fine line between satire and racism.--Jack G. Shaheen, author, Reel Bad Arabs

If 9/11 jolted Americans into a new awareness of Islam, it has produced less insight and understanding than caricature and fear. Part of the knowledge gap is due to Muslims themselves, but the larger problem derives from deliberate distortions projected via the media (radio, TV, print and the Internet) in concert with scurrilous scholarship and Christian right Islamophobes. This deftly constructed and amply illustrated volume by Gottschalk and Greenberg will expose Islamophobic distortions while also providing a much needed antidote to their public venom.--Bruce Lawrence, Duke University

Islamophobia. Making Islam the Enemy is a very well-written, timely and incisive book about a topic that is finally starting to win the attention of the American public. The authors take the reader through a journey of Western suspicion and prejudicial depiction of the religion of Islam, from the Crusades to more recent political encounters with Muslim powers. They present a fascinating review of American media presentations of Islam and Muslims, including film, television and political cartoons. Islamophobia is a fairly presented, sharply critical exposé of the roots and manifestations of western fear and suspicion of this important world religion. It should be required of every high school and college student of history, political science and American social studies.--Jane Smith, Hartford Theological Seminary

Gottschalk, a professor of religion at Wesleyan University, and his former student Greenberg analyze what Islamophobia is and how it is manifested through political cartoons, many of which are included with revealing results...With its incendiary cover art and on the heels of the Danish cartoon controversy, this book should attract well-deserved attention.--Publishers Weekly

Contains a thoughtful discussion and is bound to stimulate interest among readers.--Middle East Journal, Winter 2008

About the Author:

Peter Gottschalk is associate professor of religion at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. He is the author of Beyond Hindu and Muslim. Gabriel Greenberg is a recent Wesleyan graduate specializing in history.

About this edition

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0742552861
• ISBN 13: 9780742552869
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 192