Islam and the West: Annual Report on the State of Dialogue

<strong>Islam</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong>: <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> on <strong>the</strong> State of Dialogue
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Conclusions <strong>and</strong> Paths Forward
that engages <strong>the</strong> views of o<strong>the</strong>rs <strong>and</strong> broadens
political participation in <strong>the</strong> national <strong>and</strong>
transnational public sphere can generate an
awareness of shared interests. Partners to
dialogue have an opportunity to move beyond
stereotypes to a greater awareness of <strong>the</strong>
complex interplay of ethnicity, race, culture <strong>and</strong>
broader economic <strong>and</strong> social forces.
Dialogue that brings toge<strong>the</strong>r Muslims <strong>and</strong> non-
Muslims may, of course, highlight differences as
well as commonalities. But a vibrant culture of
peaceful contestation makes it more difficult for
leaders to exploit cultural <strong>and</strong> religious differences
for destructive ends. Such a culture cannot be
m<strong>and</strong>ated from above; it grows out of deliberate,
difficult dialogue activities within <strong>the</strong> society <strong>and</strong>
<strong>the</strong> state <strong>and</strong> across borders, over time.
Public Opinion <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Global Media
as Context
The Gallup Muslim-<strong>West</strong> Dialogue Index supports
this view of dialogue as both embedded within
political <strong>and</strong> social struggles <strong>and</strong> as a path
forward towards a better future. Most citizens
of <strong>the</strong> Muslim <strong>and</strong> non-Muslim majority countries
surveyed have a negative view of <strong>the</strong> current
state of <strong>the</strong> dialogue between <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>
Muslim world. They see relations as having
grown worse over <strong>the</strong> past several years <strong>and</strong>
identify deep conflicts reinforced by a lack of
knowledge <strong>and</strong> respect on both sides.
Respondents in Muslim majority countries point
in particular to <strong>West</strong>ern interventions in <strong>the</strong>
Middle East <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> unresolved Israeli-Palestinian
question as a source of ongoing tension <strong>and</strong> an
obstacle to dialogue.
Most surveyed in <strong>the</strong> both <strong>the</strong> <strong>West</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>
Muslim world, however, do not see religion itself
as <strong>the</strong> basic stumbling block. They tend instead
to blame extremists who deploy religion in
support of narrow agendas. Majorities appear
to believe that Muslim-<strong>West</strong> relations can
improve over time. Pessimism about dialogue
in <strong>the</strong> present <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> immediate future may
prove compatible with cautious optimism over
<strong>the</strong> long term.
If dialogue, <strong>and</strong> not mutual accusations,
threats, <strong>and</strong> violence, is to shape Muslim-<strong>West</strong>
relations in <strong>the</strong> future, <strong>the</strong> global media will have
a role to play. The Media Tenor International
content analysis featured in this report highlights
both <strong>the</strong> dominance of conflict coverage in <strong>the</strong>
television <strong>and</strong> print media <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> prevalence of
negative reporting on “<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r.”
It is hardly surprising that <strong>the</strong> media in 2007
should focus on conflicts in Gaza, <strong>the</strong> war in
Iraq <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> sharp confrontation between <strong>the</strong>
US <strong>and</strong> Iran. Conflict <strong>and</strong> bloodshed are good
drama; peaceful dialogue is rarely a gripping
story. Much will turn on whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> dialogue
activities featured in this report, <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs like
<strong>the</strong>m, will receive more media coverage into <strong>the</strong>
future. That will depend on whe<strong>the</strong>r international
conflict breeds deadlock <strong>and</strong> exhaustion,
prompting leaders to dialogue as a better
means to advance economic <strong>and</strong> security
interests. It will also depend on whe<strong>the</strong>r well-
known individuals from <strong>the</strong> worlds of business,
sports <strong>and</strong> entertainment lend <strong>the</strong>ir support to
dialogue efforts. It is too easy to berate <strong>the</strong>
media for not covering a story. If dialogue
increases in its intensity <strong>and</strong> scope, <strong>the</strong> media
will cover it more extensively in <strong>the</strong> future.
Four Gaps to Address
The analysis of dialogue efforts across <strong>the</strong> issue
areas, combined with <strong>the</strong> results of <strong>the</strong> public
opinion <strong>and</strong> media analysis, suggests four gaps
to be addressed in years to come.
The Elite/Grass Roots Gap: Dialogue among
political <strong>and</strong> religious elites garners most media