European Muslims and New Media

‘European Muslims and New Media’ offers perspectives on the various ways in which Muslims use new media to form and reform Muslim consciousness, identities, and national and transnational belongings, and contest and negotiate tensions and hegemonic narratives in Western European societies. The authors explore how online discussion groups, social media communities, and other online sites act as a ‘new public sphere’ for Muslim youth to voice their opinions, seek new sources of knowledge, establish social relationships, and ultimately decentre established discourses that are projected on them as Muslims in Europe. The possibilities and challenges of new media transform existing debates on Islamic knowledge, authority, citizenship, communities, and networks. European Muslims and New Media critically explores the multifaceted transformations that result from Muslims using online spaces to present, represent, and negotiate their identities, ideologies, and aspirations.

This publication is GPRC-labeled (Guaranteed Peer-Reviewed Content).

Contributors: Anna Berbers (KU Leuven), Claudia Carvalho (Tilburg University), Laurens de Rooij (Durham University), Leen d’Haenens (KU Leuven), Merve Kayıkcı (KU Leuven), Sahar Khamis (University of Maryland, College Park), Joyce Koeman (KU Leuven), Jana Jevtic (Central European University), Viviana Premazzi (FIERI), Roberta Riccuci (University of Torino), Charlotte van der Ploeg (Leiden University)

Introduction

1. Social Media and the Transformations of Everyday Muslim Experiences
Merve Kayıkcı

Part I. Islamic Knowledge and Online Social Platforms

2. The Internet and New Communication Dynamics among Diasporic Muslims: Opportunities, Challenges, and Paradoxes
Sahar Khamis

3. Reforming Islam Online: The Study of IslamBosna and New Sources of Religious Knowledge Among East London’s Bosniak Diaspora
Jana Jevtic

4. Dutch Muslim Youth Bloggers: Challenging the National Discourse on Islam
Lotte van der Ploeg

Part II. Images and Narratives: Creating a Discourse

5. ‘Kids in the Green Lands of the Khilafat’ – A Tumblr Case Study of Imagery within the Jihad 3.0 Narrative
Claudia Carvalho

6. Worlds Apart: Exploring the News Framing of ‘Syria Fighters’ and Interactions and Identifi cation Processes on Online
Discussion Forums
Anne Berbers, Leen d’Haenens & Joyce Koeman

7. #Muslim? Instagram, Visual Culture and the Mediatization of Muslim Religiosity
Thomas Frissen, Elke Ichau, Kristof Boghe & Leen d’Haenens

Conclusion
Leen d’Haenens

About the Authors

Merve Kayıkcı

Merve Kayıkcı is a PhD candidate of the Interculturalism, Migration and Minorities Research Centre (IMMRC) at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, KU Leuven.

Merve Kayıkcı

Merve Kayıkcı is a PhD candidate of the Interculturalism, Migration and Minorities Research Centre (IMMRC) at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, KU Leuven.

Sahar Khamis

Jana Jevtic

Lotte van der Ploeg

Claudia Carvalho

Joyce Koeman

Thomas Frissen

Elke Ichau

Kristof Boghe

Anna Berbers

Leen d’Haenens