SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF FRENCH MUSLIM VEILED WOMEN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE ECONOMIST AND THE US TIMES

Abstract

Western media is creating the notion of Islamophobia among world at large. Islam and Muslims are related with radicalism and violence. In view of Ban on veil in France  2004 , the pictorial representation of French Muslim veiled women by western press which considered to be objective , free and independent is studied .The present  Qualitative study applied semiotic analysis on seven pictures of  French Muslim veiled women in The Economist and eleven pictures in The US Time from year 2004-2010. The results revealed that The American press is presenting French Muslim veiled women in more neutral way as compared to the British press as far as pictorial representation is considered. The study conclude that British media is framing the French Veiled women as oppressed, conservative ,extremist and creating the notion of Islamophobia among the minds of the readers.