M. Alaa Abdul-Kadhim – College of Islamic Sciences/ Department of Qur’anic Studies
There is no doubt that the language of terrorism and extremism expands every day across the world, spreading alongside the malicious inclinations carried by armed groups labeled as terrorists and extremists. Time and again, the forces of good and peace have called for efforts to confront this expansion and halt the spread of destructive ideas.
When discussing the subject of media and culture in relation to extremism and violence, it carries dual meanings. At one point, we analyze the effects of using media to disseminate extremist ideas, promote violence, and glorify terrorism in all its forms. At another, we examine how to employ media as a tool to counteract such unethical usage by other media outlets. This responsibility is undoubtedly profound and represents a significant challenge that researchers in media studies must prioritize. This stems from the noble message of media as we understand it—a message of peace, tolerance, and humanity. Unfortunately, others interpret media as a vehicle for hatred, evil, extremism, and takfir (accusation of apostasy) without evidence or justification.
Thus, efforts must focus on building upon the works of specialists and those concerned with the concepts of extremism and violence. These phenomena have led to the abhorrent realities we face today, with terrorism threatening our daily lives and existence, and claiming thousands of innocent victims every day.
The true role of everyone working in the fields of culture and media necessitates focusing on the content and messages conveyed through various media outlets. Simultaneously, academic and cultural elites must fulfill their enlightening role by preparing generations imbued with basic ethical values to strengthen the patriotic spirit in every young person and citizen.
This cannot be achieved without a comprehensive framework of media and cultural work within universities, institutes, and educational institutions. It also requires organizing workshops in forums and establishing communication channels with the public. These efforts aim to empower recipients of media and cultural messages with the ability to confront violations in the form of extremist and suspicious messages, which seek to instill despair and frustration in our societies. Such messages attempt to divert societal directions in alignment with the agendas of countries and entities striving to impose their influence on Iraq’s internal affairs.
