Covering Islam: How the Media and the Experts Determine How We See the Rest of the World

Jacket Description/Back: In this landmark work, for which he has written a new Introduction, one of our foremost public thinkers examines to origins and repercussions of the media's monolithic images of Islam. Combining political commentary with literary criticism, Edward Said reveals the hidden assumptions and distortions of fact that underlie even the most "objective" coverage of the Islamic world. In so doing, Covering Islam continues Said's lifelong investigation of the ways in which language not only describes but also defines political reality. Jacket Description/Flap: From the Iranian hostage crisis through the Gulf War and the bombing of the World Trade Center, the American news media have portrayed "Islam" as a monolithic entity, synonymous with terrorism and religious hysteria. In this classic work, now updated, the author of Culture and Imperialism reveals the hidden agendas and distortions of fact that underlie even the most "objective" coverage of the Islamic world. Marc Notes: Originally pub.: 1997.; Includes bibliographical references and index. Review Citations:

New York Times 05/18/1997 pg. 36 (EAN 9780679758907, Paperback)

Contributor Bio:  Said, Edward W Edward Said (1935-2003) was one of the world's most celebrated and influential public intellectuals. He was University Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University and was a spokesman and activist for the Palestinian cause.