University Report: Media Analysis of Islamophobia in Australia

This report presents a media analysis of Islamophobia in Australia, examining how the issue has been portrayed in various news sources over the past 18-24 months. The analysis begins with an introduction to the topic, followed by a discussion of relevant Australian statistics related to Islamophobia. The core of the report involves analyzing three pieces of media coverage, including news reports from SBS News and The Diplomat, to identify how the Muslim community, particularly women, are represented. The analysis explores themes of hate speech, discrimination, and the impact of Islamophobia on Australian society, referencing a 2019 report on Islamophobia in Australia. The report highlights the role of media in perpetuating negative stereotypes and contributing to the marginalization of Muslims. The conclusion emphasizes the need for a better understanding of Islam and the dangers of Xenophobia. The report is supported by a minimum of six academic references, including reports from Charles Sturt University and The Diplomat.

Running Head: ISLAMOPHOBIA IN AUSTRALIA
Islamophobia in Australia
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
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Introduction
The issue of Islamophobia has been widely discussed based on the Australian context,
especially in the wake of the terror attack that took place in New Zealand. The discussion has
taken many forms, ranging from extensive debates to international discussion regarding the
role of the subculture that exists on right and represents the far right in these events. The
White Supremacy in the internet-mediated age consists of many aspects such as codes,
memes, as well as signals. In this particular situation, it is not very surprising to see the extent
of Xenophobia and hostility towards Muslims reach its peak. White nationalism has always
been the founding doctrine of Australia. Hence the country’s enthusiastic participation in the
war that was seemingly targeted against terror turned into a war against Islam, and thereby,
Muslims. Thus, hate speech was also considered to be part of the norm. One of the biggest
medium to transport that news to the world has been newspaper articles.
Discussion
According to the recent reports from the Charles Sturt University, Australia, the
current state of Islamophobia in Australia is not just a threat to the Muslim population
residing in the country- it is the concern of the entire nation if it wants to hold on to its
multicultural legacy and a sense of cohesion in the society (BOLGER, 2019). In the 2019
Islamophobia in Australia reports that had been led by the chief investigator Dr. Derya Iner
who is a part of Charles Sturt University and its department Centre for Islamic Studies and
Civilization (BOLGER, 2019). They are capable of offering an analysis that is highly multi-
faceted and consists of incidents that have been verified. This has been made possible
because of the reports that have been gathered in the Islamophobia Register Australia, which
contains the name of victims, proxies, as well as witnesses for any such incident that took
place in the span between 2016-17 (BOLGER, 2019). However, it is significant to mention

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here that amongst the entire Muslim community, the women and young girls are considered
the most vulnerable population. They have been targeted with abuse that is verbal and
profanities, along with instances of physical intimidation and death threats. These incidents
took place mainly during various shopping experiences, whereas the perpetrator has mostly
been Anglo-Celtic male (BOLGER, 2019). Insults have been hurled at Muslims that are
based on their appearance as well as religion. They have added up be the highest in number
when both online and online abuse have taken place. Again the target has been the Muslim
women by the male for making the women wearing a hijab. Since there are various
backgrounds and foregrounds to the abuse, the places of attack have remained variable. For
example, it can take place in the public when there has been an overwhelming increase in the
number of security officers as well as surveillance. However, the public, because of the attack
and hostility, had deterred no perpetrators. An overwhelming number of 57% of victims have
been recorded to be females who did not have any company at the time of abuse (BOLGER,
2019). This situation also leaves the children of the Muslim community extremely vulnerable
and needs the intervention of the school authorities for applying strategies in schools. It is
shocking to find out that the seeds of Xenophobia are usually rooted preschool period when
kids were out in the neighborhood. The report shows the alarming intensity of hate rhetoric
that groomed the Christchurch terrorist who carried out terrorist attacks in New Zealand
earlier this year, as active in Australia three to five years ago (BOLGER, 2019).
In an open letter to all Australians in the year 1988, four of the former Australian
Prime Ministers wrote in the wake of ever-rising racism in the country- “Racism is an
unmitigated evil, it is immoral, it does Australia significant harm…it destroys our self-esteem
and self-respect…there can be no place for racism in Australia (McLaughlin, 2019).” At the
present time, Australians have claimed that they are committed to fighting the ever-growing
menace of racism irrespective of their political and ideological beliefs. According to The

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Diplomat, the process of making decisions and formulating policies lead to a certain amount
of compromise for incorporating differences in views and opinions. However, while
considering racism, there is no compromise. Moreover, racism in the form of Islamophobia
has surfaced in the form of comments from Senator Fraser Anning, who suggested that the
reason behind the rise in terror attacks in Christchurch took place because of the influx in the
number of immigrants to Australia and New Zealand (McLaughlin, 2019). Many have taken
this comment for denouncing the hidden meaning in the words of Anning and blaming the
victims for the tragedy. A more prudent view would suggest that the Muslim community in
the last two decades in Australia has been commonly and conveniently framed as the
perpetrator for the violence and extremism, but not in the form of a victim. Anning’s anti-
Muslim sentiments surfaced long back when the senator referred to the requirements of “a
final solution” for the immigration of the Muslims (McLaughlin, 2019). Nevertheless, if
Anning’s words are to be taken at its face value, then it restates the demand of Australians
and their Islamophobia as the step requires a complete ban on the immigration of Muslims in
the country. In the wake of the terror attack, one thing was very evident- the form of
Islamophobia that exists within Australia is not necessarily in the form of avid animosity
toward Muslims and Islam. Australians do not have a proper understanding of Islam, and this
fear of the unknown has contributed much to the escalation of fear and Islamophobic
epidemic (McLaughlin, 2019). However, the fear will not be contained or resolved when they
receive preference in the political culture. It only spreads in ways that are both violent and
deplorable.
Another news report published by SBS News on 18th December 2019, David
Coleman, the Immigration Minister, was seemingly appalled after seeing the various
instances of Islamophobia that were occurring in Australia SBS News. 2019. These reports
also revealed the target group to be women and girls who chose to wear hijab. Almost 350

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incidents have been reported in Australia under the Islamophobia Register Australia in 2016
and 2017. The reports have also revealed that the perpetrators have grown increasingly
brazen along with an increase in the 30% chance of attacks that are under the protection of
security officers. 2019 Islamophobia in Australia report revealed that the number of attacks
has gone up to 60% in various public spaces between the years 2016 and 2017.
Conclusion
The issue of Islamophobia and that of Xenophobia is not new content that is being
witnessed during the present times. However, it is evident that it resulted due to long periods
of silence from the people who are choosing their governing body. Islamophobia is extremely
speculative and has affective distrust as well as hostility towards the Muslims and Islam as a
religion (news.csu.edu.au, 2019). The perpetuation has been mostly done by the media
houses in general in their effort to cover various acts of terror. Capitalization by the
government and the politicians by tapping on the negative stereotypes have led to a further
increase in the contribution towards the marginalization, discrimination, and expulsion of the
entire Muslim community. There are some theories that are involved in the form of
explanation from the Islamophobes. For this reason, Muslims have been reduced to the image
of caricatures of being misogynists and oppressors of women. The men have been assumed to
be violent and more likely to be inclined to terrorism or directly involved with it. Critics
believe that ever since the occurrence of 11 September 2001, a sense of “otherness” has been
attributed to the Australian Muslims by that society in general (news.csu.edu.au, 2019). With
the help of social construction as well as generic misinterpretation of Muslims, the Australian
public has taken it up as a method to gain control in a world during the post 9/11 period
(news.csu.edu.au, 2019). Other scholars believe that with this rise in intolerance and hate
speech, there has been a substantial increase in the rate of Islamophobia in the country as well
as undone any efforts that were put in by the Muslims in order to bring about positive

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relations with their non-Muslim Australian citizens. From the above stated information, it is
evident that the manner in which Islam is portrayed by the media is responsible for its
contribution to the rising Islamophobia in the country. However, the chosen news articles
have been mostly neutral in their portrayal of the issue of Islamophobia and its victims. The
emphasis has been on the reason behind the rise of hate and the current statistics in the
country, followed by the target group of Islamophobes (news.csu.edu.au, 2019).

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Reference
BOLGER, R., 2019. Government Condemns 'Appalling' Cases Of Islamophobia Detailed In
New Report. [online] SBS News. Available at: <https://www.sbs.com.au/news/government-
condemns-appalling-cases-of-islamophobia-detailed-in-new-report> [Accessed 14 March
2020].
McLaughlin, C., 2019. The Islamophobia Epidemic In Australia. [online] Thediplomat.com.
Available at: <https://thediplomat.com/2019/03/the-islamophobia-epidemic-in-australia/>
[Accessed 14 March 2020].
news.csu.edu.au, 2019. Islamophobia Continues In Australia: 2019 Report. [online]
News.csu.edu.au. Available at: <https://news.csu.edu.au/latest-news/islamophobia-continues-
in-australia-2019-report> [Accessed 14 March 2020].