This a Guide Written by Public Opinion Expert Chris Yalonis on how the Western media can more accurately and effectively cover Islamic and Muslim issues.
Collective Mining | Corporate Presentation - April 2024
Arab-Western perceptions-kuwait grand mosque.yalonis
1. Cross Cultural Perceptions
between Arab Muslims
and the West
Kuwait Grand Mosque
Presentation, June 13, 2006
Chris Yalonis, Communique Partners
2. 2
Agenda
• Study/Campaign Objectives, Background,
Methodology
• Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
• Arab Perception of the West
• Drivers of Perception
• Awqaf Campaigns and Other Initiatives
• What can be done to Improve Perception?
• Q&A
3. 3
Background
• Early 2005 impetus was recognition of worsening
perceptions between Middle East Muslims and
the West
• 2 Perception studies lay the foundation for long
term initiatives to improve Islamic-Arab World-
West understanding and perception
– 2005 study on Western Perception of Islam and
Muslims
– 2006 study on Arab Perception of the West
• Studies sponsored by Kuwait’s Ministry of Awqaf
and Islamic Affairs
4. 4
Objectives:
• 2005 Western Perception of Islam study:
– Better understand the image and perception of Islam and
Muslims in Western Europe and the US
• 2006 Arab Perception of the West Study
– Better understand Arab Perception of the West, drivers, foreign
policy vs other “products” and values of the West.
• Identify the key drivers and influences
• Uncover the role of the media and other sources of
information
• Identify means of improving perception and intercultural
understanding between Arab Muslims and the Western
public
5. 5
Study components
• Public opinion poll of 2750 US and European
citizens (Western Perception study) and 2000
Arabs (2006 study on Arab Perceptions)
• Interviews of Islamic, media, public diplomacy
experts
• An analysis of online and offline media and
articles and topical association with Islam
• A review and summary of important research
sources, reports, reports
• A review and summary of other third party public
polls
7. 7
Public Opinion Survey Results
• Muslims rated the lowest in overall favorability among
various religious groups.
• 26% overall had a very or somewhat unfavorable opinion
of “Muslims who live inside my country”
– 37% of US respondents-unfavorable opinion
– 19% and 24% of UK and French respondents
respectively
• For “Muslims who live outside my country”, and “Arab
Muslims”, 5-10% more respondents (depending on
country) had a unfavorable opinion
8. 8
Ignorance of and lack of empathy
with Islam is widespread
• Half of the respondents say they have very little
or no knowledge
• 80% said that “my religion and Islam are very
different” or that they “do not know enough to
determine if their religion and Islam have a lot in
common”
• 46% believe that Islam is more likely than other
religions to encourage violence
• 34% believe that the US is fighting a war on
Islam or both Islam and terrorism
• 60% do not know the difference between Arab
Muslims and non-Arab Muslims
9. 9
Framers of Perception
• Stereotyping in movies, TV
shows, cartoons, and other
media.
• Television: “If it bleeds, it
leads”. Simplistic depiction of
“Islamic terrorists”
• Anti-Western Islamist
extremists who condemn the
West in the name of Islam
• “Experts” in academia and
thinktanks
10. 10
Framers of Perception
• Christian Fundamentalists, Jewish Lobby
• The absence of a countering view.
• Western Muslim communities do not have
strong PR or lobbying efforts.
• Lack of personal interaction between
American Muslims and non-Muslims
11. 11
Media has a Critical Role
• TV documentaries and news are
the most influential followed by
newspapers
• 40% have very limited exposure
to news and information about
Islam and Muslims (once every
2 months or more or never in the
past year)
• 3/4 of respondents believe that
the media depicts Arab Muslims
and Islam accurately only half of
the time, not often or never
12. 12
Personal Interactions Shape
Perceptions
• 60-70% are comfortable with
having Arab Muslims as
neighbors, friends, co-workers
• Only a quarter of the US and UK
respondents have Arab Muslims
friends, colleagues or family
members (versus 59% of the
French)
• Very small percentage (<5% have
ever participated in an Islamic
activity (such as Ramadan)
13. 13
Issues in Resetting the Perception
Frame
• Islam is not a Monolith.
• Who speaks for Islam?
• Is Islam inherently extremist and
militant?
• Is Islam anti-West?
• Women’s empowerment
• Religious tolerance/pluralism
• Modernism
• Democracy
• Reducing the root causes of
violent extremism.
14. 14
Recommendations on Improving
Perception: Practitioners and Scholars
• Build a message consensus among Muslims and friends
– A moderate and balanced view of Islam
– Objective debate on contentious issues
• Create balanced content on Islam
– Supply proper information nationwide
– Counter the lack of good, objective books about Islam
• Show Muslims as normal, professional, modern, diverse,
anti-militant: have spokespeople reflect these images
• Call for more media balance and more positive
coverage, not just negatives
15. 15
Improving Perception
• Invest in media-tours and campaigns, PSA’s,
press relations
• Encourage Muslims groups to share more
educational and celebration interactions with
local communities
• Build and resource more Islamic cultural centers
and museums
• Encourage business and cultural exchanges
between Islamic states (especially ME) and
US/EU
16. 16
“Drying up the Swamp” of Extremism
• Address the root causes of extremist
violence to reduce it long term
• Marginalize religious zealotry by
extremists-return to peaceful teachings
• Continue to encourage Arab region
development (UN Arab Human
Development Report (2002,03,04,05)
recommendations
17. 17
Guidelines for Journalists
• Use language that is informatory and not
inflammatory
• Portray Muslims and Islam in its richness and
diversity
• Seek truth through a full, balanced Outlook
database and help convey Islam complexities
and ME-West relations
• Do not represent Arabs and Muslims as
monolithic groups
• Use photos and features to demystify veils,
turbans, and cultural articles/customs
18. 18
Guidelines for Journalists
• Avoid using word combinations such as “Islamic
terrorist” or “Muslim extremist” that are
misleading
• Do not use religious characterizations as
shorthand
• Include olive complexioned and darker men and
women, Sikhs, Muslims, and devote religious
groups in the arts, business, society columns,
and other news and features, not just in terrorist
coverage
• Ask Muslims to review your coverage and make
suggestions
19. 19
Resources
• www.islamperceptions.org
– Journalist’s Guide to Islam and Muslims
– Western Perceptions of Islam and Muslims
– Arab Perceptions of The West
• Professor John Esposito’s
– What Everyone should Know about Islam
– Unholy War
• Q&A
20. 20
Follow-Up Actions
• NewsXchange (Media conference) in Amsterdam in
November, 2005 and to US Muslim Leaders, coverage of
Western Perception study
• Presented Arab Perception study at the first annual Arab
Broadcaster’s Forum in Abu Dhabi last week
• Moderation Conferences in EU, US,Russia (tentative),
– Build internal Muslim community consensus (London in May)
– Key external stakeholders (London in May, more planned for late
2006/2007
• Moderation Center in Grand Mosque
• Distribution of books and DVD’s
• Translation Center
• Cultural Centers
• Debate Centers in London
• www.islamperceptions.org
22. 22
The Campaign
Live Web
Discussions Event & Agenda
International
Launch of Study Management
The Media
Campaign
Interview
Features & Placement
Documentary
Campaign
Monitoring &
Evaluation
23. 23
Other 2006 Initiatives
• The Speakup.com
– ME’s first Online Opinion Panel of 50,000 consumers,
opinion leaders in government, business, education,
religion
• Used by government, NGO’s and corporations
for public policy polls, community needs,
social/developmental program assessments
• Representative “Voice of the Arab Public”
• More insightful, faster and economical
alternative to offline and anecdotal
reporting/research
24. 24
Institute for East-West Perception
Research
• First fact-tank focusing on monitoring and
strategic consul for Middle East-West cross
cultural perceptions
• Online panel of 4 million consumers and opinion
leaders in the EU, US and Middle East
• Serving decision makers in public diplomacy,
NGO’s, business, interfaith entities
• Manage improvements in perception and
relations through ROI measurements
• Looking for advisory board members and
founding sponsors
26. 26
Why does Arab Perception of the
West Matter?
• Popular negative resentment has strong negative
consequences for the US and EU governments.
• Limits long term cooperation for business, educational,
cultural and religious groups.
• Jeopardizes formal government-to-government relations.
• Broad anti-Americanism facilitates broad base recruiting
for extremist groups and financial and political support
• Arab governments cannot ignore popular sentiment
indefinitely. Public opinion affects policy making.
• Cycle of mutually reinforcing animosity.
31. 31
Prism of National Perception
– Science and technology
– People
– Companies in their country
– Aid to their country
– Education
– Place to visit
– Movies/TV/Entertainment
– Promotion of Human Rights/democracy
– Government policy in Israeli/Palestinian conflict
– Military presence in Iraq
– Treatment of Muslims
34. 34
Framers of Perception
• Perceptions vary by country, interpersonal
exposure, Western travel, media
consumption diversity
• Religion is not the basis of tensions
between Arabs and the West
• Arab perceptions of Western values do not
determine their attitudes toward Western
foreign policies
36. 36
The Role of Western Foreign Policy
• Arabs support the professed goals of the West’s
foreign policies toward the Arab world
• Arabs disagree fundamentally with US positions on
the definition of terrorism, the Palestinians, Iraq
occupation, support of autocratic regimes
• Hypocrisy of US professed values and “situation on
the ground”
38. 38
Media has a Critical Role
• Arab TV and Newspapers
news are the most
influential information
sources on the West
• 3/4 of respondents believe
that the media depicts the
US accurately only HALF
OF THE TIME OR LESS.
39. 39
Improving Perception: What the US
and EU Governments can do:
• Evolve Middle East Foreign Policy.
• Rethink how the US and EU governments
formulate and communicate their foreign
policy.
• Develop new institutions to strengthen
public diplomacy efforts.
• Improve practices of public diplomacy.
• Increase funding and resources.
40. 40
9/11/01: 5 year report card: US
Battle for Hearts and Minds
• Accomplishments
– Elevated democracy promotion on U.S. foreign policy agenda
– Organized State Department to strengthen public diplomacy
– Created Millennium Challenge Corporation/increased foreign assistance
funding
– Launched “Transformational Diplomacy”
• Continuing Challenges
– Public diplomacy undermined by perceived U.S. unilateralism
– U.S. moral authority/image eroded by Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, etc.
– Public diplomacy weakened by domestic security paranoia (visa
frustrations, Dubai Ports, etc.)
– Democracy and development assistance agendas viewed skeptically in
many countries
– Fortress mentality at embassies stifl es public access and outreach
– Failure to create counternarrative to global radicalism
41. 41
What NGO’s can do:
• Build and maintain Arabic and English translation entities
and training programs
• Build and maintain student, scientific, sports, cultural,
interfaith exchange programs.
• Fund and produce books, documentaries, videos using
advanced digital technology, to improve inter-cultural
understanding and appreciation.
• Fund and facilitate the development of dialogue
programs and digital community building
• Use call in programs and interactive programs on
satellite TV to engage Arab and American audiences.
42. 42
What Arab Governments can do:
• Build and resource public diplomacy programs
• Encourage and facilitate a free media.
• Encourage translations and digital access of the
best English (and other language) books into
Arabic.
• Encourage freedom of expression, opinion and
association.
• Popularize ICT as a tool for knowledge
acquisition.
• Promote literacy, especially among women.
• Lower barriers on information access,
especially Internet access costs.
43. 43
What Media Organizations can do:
• Break the cycle of mutually reinforcing animosity
• Provide context around Western foreign policy news
• Avoid story images that are sensational or inflammatory
that do not improve context
• Promote professional journalist training and Western
journalist exchanges
• Encourage open, free, objective editorial coverage.
• Open and expand sources for unbiased Western
experts and spokespeople
• Look for Western diversity stories
• Showcase Arab Americans or Arab
British success stories
44. 44
Thank you!
Chris Yalonis
+ 415-309-0331
chris.yalonis@communiquepartners.com
www.islamperceptions.org