Diversity, identity and multiculturalism in the media: the case of Muslims in the British press'

In this chapter Meer and Madood use the example of press discourse on Muslims in Britain to explore various intersections between multicultural ethics and communication in the public sphere. Their central argument is that the idea of multiculturalism provides a compelling rationale to seek revisions in the reppresentation of minorities by the mainstream media. This is elaborated through a discussion of dominant characterizations of Muslims in the national press; characterizations that Muslims may seek to challenge through one of two means. The first is to contect negative representations by engaging with the mainstream media. The second is to cultivate a positive difference in alternative public spheres or counterpublics (illustrated by a proliferation of Muslim media). These issues of positive and negative representation herald important implications for wider considerations of citizenship.