Visible Religion: Minority Religions in the News
Module 1: Recognizing Minority Religions in Your Community
Resources:
- Religion in America: U.S. Religious Data, Demographics, and Statistics (Pew Research Center)
- The Buddhist Network of Central Ohio
- Our Hindu Neighbors (Ohio History Connection)
- Islamic Council of Ohio
- OJC (Ohio Jewish Communities)
Readings:
- READ: "11 Facts About World Religions"
- READ: "What Americans Know About Religion"
- READ: "Enchantment, Orientalism, and Modern Mysticism"
Discussion Questions:
- How much do you know about non-Christian minority religions, and where did you learn about them?
- Have you ever seen the symbols of minority religions being appropriated? Why do you think this happens?
- Have you ever attended a service or ceremony for a religion that is not your own? What impressions did you get?
- What do you associate eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism with?
- Do you follow or know anyone on social media who belongs to a minority religion? In what ways do they talk (when they speak) about their beliefs?
Homework:
- Do a little digging to find out about minority religious communities in your area. Where is the nearest mosque, synagogue, temple, etc.? Did you already know about them, or is it a surprise? Write a few paragraphs explaining and reflecting on your findings.
- Find two articles about one minority religion: one piece that covers the religion shallowly and one that goes into more depth. Write a short analysis of each, and reflect on the different impressions of the religion each article gives.
- Do a short interview with a friend or family member who is a member of a minority religion, and talk to them about how they see themselves portrayed in the media. Write about your findings.
Module 2: Islam as a Controversy
Resources:
- "Extremism takes many forms: Experts weigh in on fanatical believers" (Dayton Daily News)
- "Amid a holy war" (The Columbus Dispatch)
- Local news reporting on the Abdul Razak Ali Artan attack (10 WBNS Columbus): 12/1/2016, 6/1/2017, 11/28/2017
Readings/Videos:
- READ: "Most Americans say media coverage of religion too sensationalized"
- READ: "Local Islamic Center Working To Push Back Against ISIS Recruitment Drive"
- WATCH: "CAIR-Cincinnati Says DHL Fired Muslim Workers over Prayer Breaks"
Discussion Questions:
- Why do you think the Islamic faith is often portrayed as controversial in the media?
- How much do you know about the Islamic faith, and where did you learn this information? (School, self-practice, news, social media, etc.)
- What trends can you see in the media's portrayal of the Islamic faith? Are the themes more positive or negative?
- What could be done to change the perception of the Islamic faith away from being controversial?
Homework:
- Find an article about the Islamic faith from before 2010, and another article from 2010 until now. Take notes on the themes from both before and after 2010 and compare the two. Is there a noticeable difference between the timeframes? If not, or if so, explain why this might be the case.
- Write a paragraph about how the Islamic faith is portrayed in the media, and explain why it might have gained that frame.
Module 3: Increased Coverage of Anti-Semitism
Resources:
- What is Judaism?
- Example of an Ohio Jewish community
- New York Times breakdown of anti-Semitic incidents
- Polls and numbers
Readings:
- READ: "The Holocaust: States require education about it as anti-Semitism, hate crimes surge"
- READ: "Anti-Semitism spiked in Arizona for the third year in a row. How do we stop it?"
- READ: "Obama might be planning harsh parting shot at Israel"
- READ: "How American anti-Semitism reflects the centuries-long struggle over the meaning of religious liberty"
Discussion Questions:
- Is there a Jewish presence in your local community? Do you interact with those members of your community? In what ways?
- How do you see Judaism represented in the media you consume? This could be on the news, in articles, or social media apps on your phone.
- How does reporting of anti-Semitism shape how non-Jewish people view this religion? What do you think is the overall view media creates of the Jewish religion?
- How does reporting on anti-Semitism help combat it across America?
Homework:
- Find an example of reporting on anti-Semitism near where you’re from. Write a short paragraph on how this represents the Jewish community.
- Compare a news article from before 2010 with one from after 2010. What has changed? Write a short paragraph about how reporting has or hasn't changed.
- How does reporting represent combating anti-Semitism? Write a three-paragraph response tying one of the readings to your own example of how the articles display action against anti-Semitism.
Photo credit
President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump Travel to Pittsburgh by Flickr user Trump White House Archived, public domain; cropped from original.