Magic Words or Talking Point? The Uses and Effects of “Radical Islam” and its Function as a Proxy Term for Terrorism

• In Event: Norms, Values, Biases in News Coverage

Abstract

The debate over the term “radical Islam” as a proxy term for terrorism has become fierce in American politics in recent years. Some believe “radical Islam” stands as a specific movement in opposition to “the West,” while others resist monolithic understandings that paint Muslims with a broad brush. This study examines how the news media have used the term “radical Islam” as a framing device and how it influences news audiences. A content analysis revealed that “radical Islam” is a recent addition to the public lexicon and is rapidly rising in use. The term is more recently associated with negatively charged emotions and also linked to terrorism. An experiment found that reading about a perpetrator associated with “radical Islam” (as opposed to “terrorism”) led to an increase in Islamophobia – indicated through fear of Muslims and Islam. However, conservatives did not differentiate between “radical Islam” and “terrorism,” but liberals did.

Authors

• Jennifer Hoewe, U of Alabama

• Brian J. Bowe, Western Washington U