Muslim Youth and readings of TV news: A comparative study of London and New York

Abstract of research

To what degree has the media informed the political and religious identities of young Muslims in the West? My specific area of interest is in exploring how British and American Muslim youth position themselves in relation to dominant and alternative media discourses on Islam. My research will involve conducting focus groups, interviews, and surveys of an ethnically diverse group of Muslims in London and New York between the ages of 14-19 years old. I hope to gain insight on the role that media plays in identity formation and how these different contexts influence meaning.

The collective identities of Muslims of these non-indigenous Muslim societies have constantly undergone transformations; often times it is the youth that determine the direction of this collective identity. Few studies have contrasted these parallel, transatlantic communities. The differing cultural climates, media environments, and proximities to Muslim homelands make for a unique comparative study.

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