The line between screening Muslims and Being One: the representation of the Muslim identity in ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’ (2012); Algerian Muslims’ perceptions and negotiations of Muslim identity.

Abstract

The Muslim identity has always been stigmatised and demonised in films. Classical stereotypes (terrorism, violence) have become a classical theme for representing Muslims. Some studies argued that the representation of the Muslim identity shifted from negative to positive. However, little attention has been given to this shift. This study focuses on this understudied area to explore how the film ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’ (2012) represents the Muslim identity in the film according to the Muslim participants at a university. This research also investigates how the Muslim participants at a university view themselves. A social constructivist perspective was adopted to investigate how Muslim students at a university interpret the portrayed Muslim identity in the film and to explore how they negotiate their Muslim identity. Findings suggest that the Muslim identity of the Muslim protagonist in the film was stereotypically depicted according to the participants of this study. In other words, no shift was marked in the portrayal of the Muslim identity in the film. The misrepresentation of the Muslim identity resumes, it has just taken another form, which further re-entrenches new stereotypes. This study also found that this film and the other films that the participants have previously watched affected the way they perceive and practise their Muslim identity. These films not only affected how out-group members viewed the Muslim identity, but they also affected how the Muslim participants viewed themselves. This study provides insightful theoretical implications for broadening the study of the Muslim identity to examine how the Muslim identity is represented in films according to Muslim participants. It also presents practical implications for the film industry.

Date of Award	20 Dec 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Northumbria University
Supervisor	Mimi Huang (Supervisor) & Robert McKenzie (Supervisor)