Media and political elites may have an interest in promoting the Islam-violence stereotype.

Evidence

Such a long view allows us to see that the image of Muslims and Islam in Europe has gone through a series of shifts and changes that corresponded to changes in the political and social realms. Thus, contrary to the idea that the East-West relationship has always been characterized by conflict or a “clash of civilizations,” I show that anti-Muslim prejudice was consciously constructed and deployed by the ruling elite at particular moments. While ordinary people in Europe did accept these ideas, for instance during the Crusades, they have also resisted them. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 25 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

The history outlined in this chapter also shows that “the West” has not uniformly harbored negative images of Islam. During moments of conflict, political elites mobilized Islamophobia as a means to advance their larger agendas, whether papal supremacy over Europe or the expansionist ambitions of Christian rulers. Islam-bashing has been a useful tool in power politics for a very long time. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 98 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Media framing constructs the reality audiences accept about Islam. — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 497; Media coverage of Muslim violence superficially supports an Islam-violence link — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 282; Anti-Muslim prejudice was deliberately deployed by elites at specific political moments. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 25 (+4 more)

Related

• Anti-Muslim prejudice was deliberately deployed by elites at specific political moments. (similarity 0.88)
• The politique des races included campaigns against Muslim religious elites. (similarity 0.87)
• Media and state mutually reinforce Islam-violence associations for distinct functional reasons (similarity 0.87)
• Elites mobilized Islamophobia to advance their political agendas across centuries (similarity 0.86)
• The Islam-is-violent frame deflects attention from empire’s violence (similarity 0.84)
• Media coverage of Muslim violence superficially supports an Islam-violence link (similarity 0.84)
• Media and political elites profit from stoking anti-Muslim fears (similarity 0.83)
• Islamophobic tropes become real violence through perceived enemy images (similarity 0.83)
• Western anti-Muslim hostility has been episodic and elite-driven, not a perpetual clash (similarity 0.82)
• Fear of Muslim violence serves the interests of media and political elites (similarity 0.82)
• Medieval elites first linked Islam and Muhammad to violence and sexual deviance (similarity 0.81)
• Islamophobic propaganda moves right-wing to mainstream to center (similarity 0.81)
• Environmental framing made Muslim violence seem causally inevitable (similarity 0.81)
• Progressive media also contain liberal Islamophobia despite hosting dissenting voices (similarity 0.81)
• Islam has been framed by passion, prejudice, and political interests since the Middle Ages (similarity 0.81)

Broader Connections

• Anti-Muslim prejudice was deliberately deployed by elites at specific political moments. #corroborates (0.80) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 25
• Media and state mutually reinforce Islam-violence associations for distinct functional reasons #corroborates (0.75)
• Elites mobilized Islamophobia to advance their political agendas across centuries #expands (0.50) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 98