The IAMCR “Islam and Media” Working Group

Abstract

The International Association of Media and Communication Research (IAMCR; http://iamcr.org), with which the “Islam and Media” and several other working groups are affiliated, promotes “media and communication research throughout the world, addressing socio-political, technological, policy and cultural processes.” One of its key objectives is to “provide a forum where academic researchers and others involved in media and communication research and practice can present and discuss their work, hone their critical skills and collaborate.” The “Islam and Media” working group was originally formed to reflect upon “the communication phenomenon such as human interaction with a view to contributing toward mutual understanding and peace with justice” and “to engage in research and organizational development efforts geared toward strengthening the global societal structures based on personal responsibility and mutual cooperation in social, political, and economic relations.” At this July 2012 event, participants sought “to contribute to the advancement of research and evaluation in the media and communication related fields from an Islamic point of view (the Tawhidi perspective).” The papers presented dealt with the universal principles of communication in Islam and the West; Islam, communication, and sustainable development; coverage of the United States’ war in the Middle East; and how the media reports on extremism/ terrorism ...