Lecture by Nadine Ahmed

MEDIA, MINORITIES & RELIGION

WHAT IS A MINORITY?

the smaller number or part, especially a number or part representing less than half of the whole.

HOW ARE MINORITIES PORTRAYED IN MEDIA?

WHAT IS THIS KNOWN AS?

Racism/Racialization: the belief that all members of each race

possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.

Stereotyping: In social psychology, a stereotype is a thought that can be adopted about specific types of individuals or certain ways of doing things.

WHO OR WHAT DECIDES YOUR IDENTITY?

MAYA KHAN MORNING SHOW

DISTINCTIONS

Religious CulturalRelating or believing relating to the ideas, customs, in a religion and social behaviour of a society

Political Legal of or relating to the government relating to or permitted by law or public affairs of a country

WHAT TYPE OF MINORITIES?

Religion: Shia, Christian, Hindu, Ahmedis, Buddhist, Kalaash (Pagan), Parsis.

MINORITIES REPRESENTATION?

WHAT IS THIS?

Marginalize/ Marginalization: to relegate to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group.

MINORITIES REPRESENTATION

WHAT IS THIS?

Ethnocentricity: Ethnocentric individuals judge other groups relative to their own ethnic group or culture, especially with concern for language, behavior, customs, and religion. These ethnic distinctions and subdivisions serve to define each ethnicity's unique cultural identity.

HOW HAS THIS MANIFESTED?

Nationalization- Christians lost their schools and church/education buildings were expropriated after the 1972 nationalization.

Social Stigma- Christians are treated as if they are still in the ‘caste’ system.

State- Government institutions now suffer from internalized racist attitudes despite the law being reformed in terms of compensation.

Culture- Their own culture is not promoted or aided by other communities.

Media- Media mostly reports news on attacks of Christian communities and not as much as international stations.

Legal: Hardly any access to legal aid and/or rights/status over their own land/property/lives.

HOW IS THIS ENFORCED?

MediaLawReligionCulture

CASE STUDY

The Ahmedi people have been persecuted even before the creation of Pakistan.

The nation was made not only for the Muslim community but also those who wished to live peacefully and practice their own religion.

Even before the Objectives Resolution 1949 was passed, the Ahmedis suffered persecution at the hands of the JUI party.

The Objectives Resolution 1949 had a very important act meant for the preservation of minorities which was never passed.

Subsequently, all Hindu, Christian and other minority politicians were driven out of their political positions to make way for the Islamic dominated Pakistan.

How does one define an Ahmaddiya?

a Muslim movement whose followers believe that its founder Mīrzā Gulām Ahmad ( c. 1839–1908) was the Mahdi or promised messiah.

MUNIR REPORTWHAT INITIATED THIS REPORT?

Provincial elections: Muslim League led by Mian Mumtaz Daultana emerged victorious with support from Jamaat-i-Ulema-i-Islam and the Majlis-e-Ahrars who were against the Mirza Ghulam Ahmed followers, Ahmedis. This has social and political overtones due to their high ranking political positions including the then foreign minister Zafarullah Khan.

Anti-Ahmeddiya riots erupted throughout Punjab

Munir Report

Report of the Court of Inquiry constituted under Punjab Act II of 1954, to enquire into the Punjab Disturbances of 1953, also called “Munir Report”

carried an analysis of the Ulema’s concept of the Islamic State; and

of a Muslim. Justice Muhammad Munir as president and

Justice Kayani as member were appointed to investigate the causes of the trouble.

Munir Report Contd…

• The report concluded that the concept of a Muslim differed for different sects’

• And, if the fatwas of the Ulema were relied upon to determine whether an individual is Muslim or Kafir, then no sect could be called Muslim because of the lack of a single, coherent and unanimous definition of a Muslim and an Islamic State.

HISTORY

Section 295 ‘Blasphemy Law’ created by British to protect religious feelings. Provides protection to places of worship.

1927- 295 A- Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings will be imprisoned for upto 10 years or fined .

1949- Objectives Resolution 19497. Minorities can freely profess and practice their

religion.9. Fundamental rights including equality of status, of

opportunity and before law, social, economic and political justice, and freedom of thought, expression, belief, faith, worship and association, subject to law and public morality should be given to all the citizens of the state.

HISTORY

Constitution 1973- A person who does not believe in the

absolute and unqualified finality of The Prophethood of Muhammad (Peace be upon him), the last of the Prophets or claims to be a Prophet, in any sense of the word or of any description whatsoever, after Muhammad (Peace be upon him), or recognizes such a claimant as a Prophet or religious reformer, is not a Muslim for the purposes of the Constitution or law.

LAW

1974- Amendment in 1973 Constitution –Ahmadis declared non-muslim minority of Pakistan. Amended to define a Muslim “as a person who believes in the finality of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).”

1984- General Zia-ul-Haq issues Ordinance XX. The ordinance which was supposed to ‘prevent anti-Islamic activities’, forbids Ahmadis to call themselves Muslim or to ‘pose as Muslims’. This means that they are not allowed to profess the Islamic creed publicly or call their places of worship mosques (made during martial law) instituted in second amendment of constitution.

Section 295

MEDIA

WHAT IS THIS CALLED?

The ‘Other’ OTHERIZATION- the social

phenomenon of people-particularly those within dominant groups or cultures in society-turning other people, especially those who can be easily ostracized by the dominant culture, into an "Other" that is defined as separate, alien, and, in some cases, not human.

CONCLUSION?

DOES MEDIA INFLUENCE SOCIETY?

OR IS MEDIA INFLUENCED

BY SOCIETY?