IS IT a global phenomenon that Muslims are depicted as terrorists and violent persons? I think not. The depiction of Muslims as terrorists and violent individuals is not a global phenomenon, but it has been a widespread issue in various parts of the world, especially in Western media and mainstream culture.
Stereotyping refers to the act of generalizing and making assumptions about a group of people based on limited or exaggerated characteristics. It involves creating rigid, simplified, and often negative beliefs or ideas about individuals or communities, disregarding their individuality and diversity.
It is a given fact that Muslims like us suffer from the stigma of stereotyping. We are seen by some people as prone to violence and sad to say the media has something to do with it. There are media coverage that tends to focus on negative and sensationalized news and stories which can create an unfair perception of the whole Muslim community.
In one study by Dr. Vivienne Angeles, she examined how films depicting Philippine Muslims have changed over time, based on government policies and people's perceptions of Christian-Muslim relations. Her study analyzed movies such as "Badjao (1957)," "Perlas ng Silangan (1969)," "Muslim Magnum .357 (1986)," "Mistah: Mga Mandirigma (1994)," "Bagong Buwan (2001)," and "Captive (2012)" in their social and political contexts.
Her study highlighted the shift from negative perceptions towards Muslims to recognizing Islam as part of the Philippines' heritage and Muslims as fellow Filipinos with a different religion, although it took more than half a century to happen.
In the same study by Dr. Angeles, she mentioned that the Americans viewed Muslims as a problematic issue in building the Filipino nation. Rather than imposing a religion, the Americans placed Muslims and other indigenous people under the administration of the Bureau of non-Christian Tribes, reinforcing the idea of otherness based on religious identity.
The US Government policy at that time emphasized the mission to educate, uplift, civilize, and Christianize the Filipinos. By the time we gained political independence in 1946, various binaries reflecting institutional and individual Islamophobia (more like stereotyping) had already been established. Christians and Muslims were depicted in terms of us/them, good/bad, believers/heathens, civilized/savage, rational/fanatic, and trustworthy/deceitful, among others.
Christian Filipinos were often portrayed positively, while negative perceptions were attributed to the Moros (Muslims). This binary opposition was perpetuated not only through media but also shaped the social construction of Moros by non-Muslim Filipinos.
We are a religiously diverse country, with Islam being the second-largest religion after Christianity. Most Muslims live particularly in the Southern and Western parts of Mindanao. The long-standing conflict between the Moro Fronts and the government maintained the binary opposition that led to stereotyping.
Stereotyping can lead to prejudice, discrimination, and unfair treatment. To foster understanding and promote inclusivity, it is crucial to approach individuals and diverse groups with an open mind and respect their unique perspectives and experiences. It is crucial to seek information from diverse and reliable sources and engage in intercultural and inter-religious dialogue.