Islam and Media Narratives in the Representation of Muslim Identity in the Digital Age
Keywords:
Muslim Identity, Digital Media, Media Narratives, OrientalismAbstract
This article examines how Muslim identity is represented in the digital age through the competing narratives of mainstream and digital media. Using a qualitative approach and critical discourse analysis, it explores media texts from international news outlets alongside digital content such as hashtags, influencer posts, and user-generated media. The findings reveal three main dynamics. First, mainstream outlets continue to reproduce Orientalist stereotypes, often framing Muslims within narratives of extremism, security threats, and cultural incompatibility. Second, digital platforms provide spaces for counter-narratives, where Muslims reclaim their voices, normalize everyday practices, and foster transnational solidarity through what has been called a “digital ummah.” Third, hybrid identities emerge at the intersection of religion, modernity, and consumer culture, blending Islamic symbols with popular culture but also raising concerns about commodification and authenticity. These dynamics show that Muslim identity in digital spaces cannot be reduced to either victimhood or resistance; rather, it is shaped by ongoing negotiations between agency, representation, and structural constraints. While digital platforms expand opportunities for visibility and self-representation, they also reproduce hierarchies of power through algorithmic bias, commercialization, and geopolitics. The study underscores the need to view digital media as both a site of empowerment and a terrain of struggle over Muslim identity.
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