List of issues > Series «Political Science and Religion Studies». 2014. Vol. 9
Muslims in Sweden: Problems and Transformation of Perception
Author(s)
S. Y. Dianina
Abstract
The article is devoted to the research of the way the Swedish indigenous society perceives information about Islam and representatives of Muslim culture taking into account relationship building scheme «they – we». The present article is relevant today since the distribution speed of Islamic religion in the countries of northern Europe particularly in Sweden is one of the highest in the world, and, therefore, the level of Islamophobia is growing. The author draws attention to the features of Swedish culture allowing Islam to occupy a certain niche in the life of Swedish society, organically adapting to the Swedish realities. In this research specific features of Islam in Swedish mass communication are revealed, and the significance of discussion is described, a number of facts influencing the tone and general trends of evaluative judgments of Swedish mass communication formed in connection with Islam are examined. The author also points out the significance of such concepts and phenomena as «blue-green Islam», Swedes «ethnocentrism», «negative stereotyping», etc. Originality of the article is in the analysis of relationship forming between indigenous population and Muslims on the principle «they – we», as well as demonstration of difficulties in exercising intercultural dialogue through Swedish communication media by particular examples. Materials of the article are based on detailed analysis of mass communication media content and include some conclusions of particular interest. The author on the basis of a range factual materials examines the difficulties and problems of intercultural dialogue in Sweden. The research shows the importance of Islam image distortion to be prevented in Swedish mass media communication through the adoption of measures in the sphere of integration of immigrants and their culture in the host society and representation of quality and objective information about Islamic religion and its representatives. In this case the process of «negative stereotyping» phenomena and concepts connected with Islam, the growth of Islamophobia and social tensions in the country will slow down resulting in positive changes in the field of Muslims integration.
Keywords
Intercultural communication, intercultural dialogue, mass communication, Muslims in Sweden, negative stereotypification, «yellow-blue Islam», multicultural society, multiculturalism, problems of immigrants integration
UDC
304.2