Headlines are the most obvious sign of a negative bias against Muslims in newspapers. Dominant discourse in the West carries anti-Islamic assumptions, so these headlines are still frequently used and not always noticed as problematic. Karim H. Karim, in his book Islamic Peril: Media and Global Violence, said that Canadian papers sometimes depict Islam as destabilizing the world or posing a "threat" to society, such as "Islam versus the West: Fundamentalism takes many forms besides terrorism."

Since Sept. 11, the Vancouver Sun, for example, has run the headlines: "Europe faces web of Islamic terrorist groups, police say," and "Muslims urged to join jihad." Such headlines reinforce a negative stereotype, can lead to increased suspicion of Muslims and even acts of hatred or racism. The Muslim world is diverse, with a minority of militants, so it is better to omit general references to Islam in headlines.

Avoid bad headlines.

Headlines are the most obvious sign of a negative bias against Muslims in newspapers. Dominant discourse in the West carries anti-Islamic assumptions, so these headlines are still frequently used and not always noticed as problematic. Karim H. Karim, in his book Islamic Peril: Media and Global Violence, said that Canadian papers sometimes depict Islam as destabilizing the world or posing a "threat" to society, such as "Islam versus the West: Fundamentalism takes many forms besides terrorism."

Since Sept. 11, the Vancouver Sun, for example, has run the headlines: "Europe faces web of Islamic terrorist groups, police say," and "Muslims urged to join jihad." Such headlines reinforce a negative stereotype, can lead to increased suspicion of Muslims and even acts of hatred or racism. The Muslim world is diverse, with a minority of militants, so it is better to omit general references to Islam in headlines.

Use phrases like "Islamic terrorists" with care.

Groups, such as the Canadian Islamic Congress, track the use of phrases like "Islamic terrorists," "Muslim militants," "Islamic fundamentalists," etc. They maintain that without further explanation, these terms leave readers with the impression that Islam is associated with terror. While this is true for a minority of groups, the sustained and unqualified use of these phrases can skew the public perception of Muslims. It is better to give a name and broader description of a group, perhaps listing some of their grievances. This helps readers with context and fosters understanding instead of fear.

Confront comfortable stereotypes.

In a Vancouver Sun article on Sept. 19, feature writer Stephen Hume wrote, "Islamic militants live among us. Indeed they do - but so do Christian militants who haven't hesitated to use terror in their campaign against abortion, white supremacists who use it against identifiable minorities, and the right-wing fanatics of individual rights who use it to strike out against governmental institutions."

By applying the terms, "militants" and "fanatics" to other groups, Hume challenges the stereotype that Islam is the only religion, which militants use as motivation.

Introduce complexity to over-simplified interpretations.

On the day that the U.S. began its missile attack against Afghanistan, reporter Yvonne Zacharias, got on the phone and reached as many Muslims as she could find. She discovered a growing division among B.C.'s Afghan community of 3,000 to 4,000 people on the validity of the bombing in Afghanistan. "It's taken me some years to realize that ethnic communities are not uniform," she said. Such articles give readers new information, which necessarily challenges stereotypes and leads to better understanding.

Add a human dimension to an abstract concept.

When it comes to a better portrayal of Muslims, it's not enough to show them at a local mosque, wearing traditional outfits and bowing in prayer. Such images, as real and local as they are, only serve to reinforce a stereotype of the Muslim person as different, as foreign and as "other." But they become human when reporters show them in their everyday lives, give them dialogue and indicate their struggles and decisions.

Bring it to the local level.

When Osama bin Laden called for Muslims all over the world to take up arms and fight against the United States, an obvious question arose: Would all Muslims really do it? Most reporters failed to ask that question in their stories, which left readers to draw their own conclusions. Usually they fall back on old assumptions - such as, "all Muslims are the same." So if some are shown in Pakistan, or wherever, chanting anti-U.S. slogans, well maybe Muslims in Canada believe the same thing. One reporter in Vancouver interviewed several local Muslims and found a range of responses to this question. When a story is brought home like this, readers realize that Muslims are a diverse group with wide-ranging opinions.

Provide space for an unmediated voice of Muslims.

After Sept. 11, Larry Cornies, editor of the London Free Press, said he opened up more space on his regular spirituality page so that the voices of Muslim people in his community could be heard. He saw that as an important way to build understanding and tolerance in his community. Other papers like the Globe and Mail invited Muslim leaders to speak out on current affairs.

Allow a reporter to gain expertise in covering religion.

Religion stories often scare reporters - they can be esoteric, odd, philosophical and full of complex traditions and rituals. When a newspaper allows one reporter to gain experience in this area, readers benefit in several ways. Douglas Todd, the religion writer at the Vancouver Sun, was able to provide his readers with better stories on Islam than non-specialist reporters. Todd offered readers basic facts about Islam (Muslim population, the Koran, its founder), and not-so-basic facts (most Muslims are peace loving and Islam fosters tolerance among people and peaceful coexistence with Jews and Christians; the primary meaning of the word "jihad" is not "holy war" but "spiritual struggle"; top leaders in the Roman Catholic church are engaged in inter-faith dialogue with Muslims, not with an aim to convert but to co-operate; Ramadan is a sacred time of the year for Muslims, but like Christians, only one third of them take the religious ritual seriously). In addition, Todd regularly mentions books that are helpful in understanding world religions. For many readers, he helps them understand a new culture and a new way of thinking, all of which leads to increased tolerance and decreased tension in the community.

Aiden S. Enns is a graduate student in journalism at the University of British Columbia