THE RISE OF HOMO ISLAMICUS

This study is an integrated thesis in English and Cultural Encounters from Roskilde University, Denmark. The work deals with the discursive cohesion of the concepts "Islam" and "terrorism" on the background of eleven articles from The Washington Post in the period of 2001/2008. The author scrutinizes the identity constructions that create the discourse affecting both the notions of the American identity and "The Other" - Islam and Islamic terrorist. The study reveals the markers making "Islam" and "terrorism" mutually compatible. Background theories include critical discourse analysis, Orientalism and securitization theory that explains the construction of "Otherness" as an existential threat. Eventually, the author contemplates on the consequences of this discursive cohesion for Islam, the Orient and the American Identity itself.

Autorentext

The author scrutinizes identity constructions that are created in the discourses and form both the American collective identity and the notion of "The Other" - Islam and Islamic terrorist. The work reveals discursive markers that make "Islam" and "terrorism" mutually compatible.