On Islam: Muslims and the Media

by Arsalan Iftikhar (Contributor), Peter Gottschalk (Contributor), Zarqa Nawaz (Contributor)

In the constant deluge of media coverage on Islam, Muslims are often portrayed as terrorists, refugees, radicals, or victims, depictions that erode human responses of concern, connection, or even a willingness to learn about Muslims. On Islam helps break this cycle with information and strategies to understand and report the modern Muslim experience. Journalists, activists, bloggers, and scholars offer insights into how Muslims are represented in the media today and offer tips for those covering Islam in the future. Interviews provide personal and often moving firsthand accounts of people confronting the challenges of modern life while maintaining their Muslim faith, and brief overviews provide a crash course on Muslim beliefs and practices. A concise and frank discussion of the Muslim experience, On Islam provides facts and perspective at a time when truth in journalism is more vital than ever.

Genres: Nonfiction, Islam

184 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2018

About the author

Arsalan Iftikhar (born September 1, 1977, Norfolk, Virginia, United States) is an American human rights lawyer, global media commentator and author of the book SCAPEGOATS: How Islamophobia Helps Our Enemies & Threatens Our Freedoms which President Jimmy Carter called “an important book that shows Islamophobia must be addressed urgently.”

Arsalan is the founder of TheMuslimGuy.com and he also serves as senior editor for The Islamic Monthly magazine. He has been an adjunct professor of religious studies at DePaul University and he is also a member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) and Reporters Sans Frontières (Reporters Without Borders). He also won the 2013 Distinguished Young Alumni Award from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.

In May 2011, Arsalan was named one of the top 12 Muslim Twitter accounts in the world by The Huffington Post, and he was also a featured interview for a December 2012 ABC News documentary called "Back to the Beginning" by Christiane Amanpour, on the shared origins of the major world religions today.

Reviews

[Rural Sellers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a collection of essays about how the press can, should and does represent Islam. I'm not a reporter or film-maker nor am I a Muslim, but the perspectives provided here were outstanding. Really enjoyed the book!