“The families felt strongly the media were gunning for Muslims; it was a huge concern for them,” said Ilan Katz, director of the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of New South Wales, and a co-author of the study.
The research is part of a wider project commissioned by the department to understand the concerns and needs of Muslim Australians.
The research focused on Muslim families from diverse ethnic backgrounds (Lebanese and other Middle Eastern backgrounds, Turkish, Indonesian, Sudanese, Anglo-Celtic, etc), and also recognised other dimensions of diversity such as age group, gender, geographical location, urban/metropolitan versus rural/regional, and refugee status.
Based on interviews with 72 family members, the study entitled “Meeting the needs of marginalised Muslim and migrant families” found people traced a change in the media’s depiction of Muslims after the 9/11 attacks in the United States.
“They felt community attitudes had hardened towards them since then because of the media,” Dr Katz said.
“Media portray us as terrorists; the media are against us. Australians listen to the media; that is what they believe.” an Iraqi father of a student in the country said.
Nevertheless, the paper states, that the Australian Muslims were mainly positive about their daily interactions with ordinary Australians, friends, workmates, and passers-by.
“Australian government high schools even have a prayer room inside the school and the students perform midday and Friday prayers there,” another father said.
A major concern was low incomes, with some blaming discrimination in the workplace for shutting them out of jobs.
Nadia Saleh, 42, of Punchbowl, calls Australia “this remarkable country” that she came to from Lebanon 21 years ago. With her husband Karl, 52, she has raised four children.
“We have got some people who do the wrong thing but it is unfair to criticise the entire Islamic community,” said Mrs Saleh, a manager at the Riverwood Community Centre.
The study highlights the diversity of Australian-Muslims, who come from countries as disparate as Albania and Nigeria.
Dr Katz found that Imams were a main source of guidance for parents with family problems and needed more help and resources from government and non-government agencies to do a better job of pastoral care.
Sources:
Adele Horin, “Australian Muslims furious over negative media portrayal: report” Sydney Morning Herald July 12, 2010
“Muslim Australians disappointed with media for depicting them as terrorists” One Idia July 12, 2010
“Meeting the needs of marginalised Muslim and migrant families” Social Policy Research Centre