The document outlines findings from perception studies on Western views of Islam and Arab perceptions of the West, initiated to address worsening intercultural understanding. Key issues identified include negative stereotypes, media influence, and low personal interactions between communities, alongside recommendations for improving perceptions through balanced messaging, media engagement, and educational initiatives. Emphasizing the role of effective communication and cultural exchanges, the document calls for diverse representations of Muslims and proactive measures by governments and NGOs to foster better understanding between cultures.

1. Cross Cultural Perceptions
between Arab Muslims
and the West
Kuwait Grand Mosque
Presentation, June 13, 2006
Chris Yalonis, Communique Partners

2. 2
Agenda
• Study/Campaign Objectives, Background,
Methodology
• Western Perception of Islam and Muslims
• Arab Perception of the West
• Drivers of Perception
• Awqaf Campaigns and Other Initiatives
• What can be done to Improve Perception?
• Q&A

3. 3
Background
• Early 2005 impetus was recognition of worsening
perceptions between Middle East Muslims and
the West
• 2 Perception studies lay the foundation for long
term initiatives to improve Islamic-Arab World-
West understanding and perception
– 2005 study on Western Perception of Islam and
Muslims
– 2006 study on Arab Perception of the West
• Studies sponsored by Kuwait’s Ministry of Awqaf
and Islamic Affairs

4. 4
Objectives:
• 2005 Western Perception of Islam study:
– Better understand the image and perception of Islam and
Muslims in Western Europe and the US
• 2006 Arab Perception of the West Study
– Better understand Arab Perception of the West, drivers, foreign
policy vs other “products” and values of the West.
• Identify the key drivers and influences
• Uncover the role of the media and other sources of
information
• Identify means of improving perception and intercultural
understanding between Arab Muslims and the Western
public

5. 5
Study components
• Public opinion poll of 2750 US and European
citizens (Western Perception study) and 2000
Arabs (2006 study on Arab Perceptions)
• Interviews of Islamic, media, public diplomacy
experts
• An analysis of online and offline media and
articles and topical association with Islam
• A review and summary of important research
sources, reports, reports
• A review and summary of other third party public
polls

6. 6
Western Perception of Islam Study
Highlights

7. 7
Public Opinion Survey Results
• Muslims rated the lowest in overall favorability among
various religious groups.
• 26% overall had a very or somewhat unfavorable opinion
of “Muslims who live inside my country”
– 37% of US respondents-unfavorable opinion
– 19% and 24% of UK and French respondents
respectively
• For “Muslims who live outside my country”, and “Arab
Muslims”, 5-10% more respondents (depending on
country) had a unfavorable opinion

8. 8
Ignorance of and lack of empathy
with Islam is widespread
• Half of the respondents say they have very little
or no knowledge
• 80% said that “my religion and Islam are very
different” or that they “do not know enough to
determine if their religion and Islam have a lot in
common”
• 46% believe that Islam is more likely than other
religions to encourage violence
• 34% believe that the US is fighting a war on
Islam or both Islam and terrorism
• 60% do not know the difference between Arab
Muslims and non-Arab Muslims

9. 9
Framers of Perception
• Stereotyping in movies, TV
shows, cartoons, and other
media.
• Television: “If it bleeds, it
leads”. Simplistic depiction of
“Islamic terrorists”
• Anti-Western Islamist
extremists who condemn the
West in the name of Islam
• “Experts” in academia and
thinktanks

10. 10
Framers of Perception
• Christian Fundamentalists, Jewish Lobby
• The absence of a countering view.
• Western Muslim communities do not have
strong PR or lobbying efforts.
• Lack of personal interaction between
American Muslims and non-Muslims

11. 11
Media has a Critical Role
• TV documentaries and news are
the most influential followed by
newspapers
• 40% have very limited exposure
to news and information about
Islam and Muslims (once every
2 months or more or never in the
past year)
• 3/4 of respondents believe that
the media depicts Arab Muslims
and Islam accurately only half of
the time, not often or never

12. 12
Personal Interactions Shape
Perceptions
• 60-70% are comfortable with
having Arab Muslims as
neighbors, friends, co-workers
• Only a quarter of the US and UK
respondents have Arab Muslims
friends, colleagues or family
members (versus 59% of the
French)
• Very small percentage (<5% have
ever participated in an Islamic
activity (such as Ramadan)

13. 13
Issues in Resetting the Perception
Frame
• Islam is not a Monolith.
• Who speaks for Islam?
• Is Islam inherently extremist and
militant?
• Is Islam anti-West?
• Women’s empowerment
• Religious tolerance/pluralism
• Modernism
• Democracy
• Reducing the root causes of
violent extremism.

14. 14
Recommendations on Improving
Perception: Practitioners and Scholars
• Build a message consensus among Muslims and friends
– A moderate and balanced view of Islam
– Objective debate on contentious issues
• Create balanced content on Islam
– Supply proper information nationwide
– Counter the lack of good, objective books about Islam
• Show Muslims as normal, professional, modern, diverse,
anti-militant: have spokespeople reflect these images
• Call for more media balance and more positive
coverage, not just negatives

15. 15
Improving Perception
• Invest in media-tours and campaigns, PSA’s,
press relations
• Encourage Muslims groups to share more
educational and celebration interactions with
local communities
• Build and resource more Islamic cultural centers
and museums
• Encourage business and cultural exchanges
between Islamic states (especially ME) and
US/EU

16. 16
“Drying up the Swamp” of Extremism
• Address the root causes of extremist
violence to reduce it long term
• Marginalize religious zealotry by
extremists-return to peaceful teachings
• Continue to encourage Arab region
development (UN Arab Human
Development Report (2002,03,04,05)
recommendations

17. 17
Guidelines for Journalists
• Use language that is informatory and not
inflammatory
• Portray Muslims and Islam in its richness and
diversity
• Seek truth through a full, balanced Outlook
database and help convey Islam complexities
and ME-West relations
• Do not represent Arabs and Muslims as
monolithic groups
• Use photos and features to demystify veils,
turbans, and cultural articles/customs

18. 18
Guidelines for Journalists
• Avoid using word combinations such as “Islamic
terrorist” or “Muslim extremist” that are
misleading
• Do not use religious characterizations as
shorthand
• Include olive complexioned and darker men and
women, Sikhs, Muslims, and devote religious
groups in the arts, business, society columns,
and other news and features, not just in terrorist
coverage
• Ask Muslims to review your coverage and make
suggestions

19. 19
Resources
• www.islamperceptions.org
– Journalist’s Guide to Islam and Muslims
– Western Perceptions of Islam and Muslims
– Arab Perceptions of The West
• Professor John Esposito’s
– What Everyone should Know about Islam
– Unholy War
• Q&A

20. 20
Follow-Up Actions
• NewsXchange (Media conference) in Amsterdam in
November, 2005 and to US Muslim Leaders, coverage of
Western Perception study
• Presented Arab Perception study at the first annual Arab
Broadcaster’s Forum in Abu Dhabi last week
• Moderation Conferences in EU, US,Russia (tentative),
– Build internal Muslim community consensus (London in May)
– Key external stakeholders (London in May, more planned for late
2006/2007
• Moderation Center in Grand Mosque
• Distribution of books and DVD’s
• Translation Center
• Cultural Centers
• Debate Centers in London
• www.islamperceptions.org

21. 21
Insights into Islam Campaign
(Proposed):

22. 22
The Campaign
Live Web
Discussions Event & Agenda
International
Launch of Study Management
The Media
Campaign
Interview
Features & Placement
Documentary
Campaign
Monitoring &
Evaluation

23. 23
Other 2006 Initiatives
• The Speakup.com
– ME’s first Online Opinion Panel of 50,000 consumers,
opinion leaders in government, business, education,
religion
• Used by government, NGO’s and corporations
for public policy polls, community needs,
social/developmental program assessments
• Representative “Voice of the Arab Public”
• More insightful, faster and economical
alternative to offline and anecdotal
reporting/research

24. 24
Institute for East-West Perception
Research
• First fact-tank focusing on monitoring and
strategic consul for Middle East-West cross
cultural perceptions
• Online panel of 4 million consumers and opinion
leaders in the EU, US and Middle East
• Serving decision makers in public diplomacy,
NGO’s, business, interfaith entities
• Manage improvements in perception and
relations through ROI measurements
• Looking for advisory board members and
founding sponsors

25. Arab Perceptions of the West:
Study Highlights

26. 26
Why does Arab Perception of the
West Matter?
• Popular negative resentment has strong negative
consequences for the US and EU governments.
• Limits long term cooperation for business, educational,
cultural and religious groups.
• Jeopardizes formal government-to-government relations.
• Broad anti-Americanism facilitates broad base recruiting
for extremist groups and financial and political support
• Arab governments cannot ignore popular sentiment
indefinitely. Public opinion affects policy making.
• Cycle of mutually reinforcing animosity.

27. 27
Favorability towards the US

28. 28
Favorability towards the UK

29. 29
Favorability towards France

30. 30
Favorability towards Germany

31. 31
Prism of National Perception
– Science and technology
– People
– Companies in their country
– Aid to their country
– Education
– Place to visit
– Movies/TV/Entertainment
– Promotion of Human Rights/democracy
– Government policy in Israeli/Palestinian conflict
– Military presence in Iraq
– Treatment of Muslims

32. 32
Characteristics/Policies of the US

33. 33
Sources of Information about the US

34. 34
Framers of Perception
• Perceptions vary by country, interpersonal
exposure, Western travel, media
consumption diversity
• Religion is not the basis of tensions
between Arabs and the West
• Arab perceptions of Western values do not
determine their attitudes toward Western
foreign policies

35. 35
Many Societal Values are
Commonly Supported

36. 36
The Role of Western Foreign Policy
• Arabs support the professed goals of the West’s
foreign policies toward the Arab world
• Arabs disagree fundamentally with US positions on
the definition of terrorism, the Palestinians, Iraq
occupation, support of autocratic regimes
• Hypocrisy of US professed values and “situation on
the ground”

37. 37
Most Effective Anti-Terrorism Efforts

38. 38
Media has a Critical Role
• Arab TV and Newspapers
news are the most
influential information
sources on the West
• 3/4 of respondents believe
that the media depicts the
US accurately only HALF
OF THE TIME OR LESS.

39. 39
Improving Perception: What the US
and EU Governments can do:
• Evolve Middle East Foreign Policy.
• Rethink how the US and EU governments
formulate and communicate their foreign
policy.
• Develop new institutions to strengthen
public diplomacy efforts.
• Improve practices of public diplomacy.
• Increase funding and resources.

40. 40
9/11/01: 5 year report card: US
Battle for Hearts and Minds
• Accomplishments
– Elevated democracy promotion on U.S. foreign policy agenda
– Organized State Department to strengthen public diplomacy
– Created Millennium Challenge Corporation/increased foreign assistance
funding
– Launched “Transformational Diplomacy”
• Continuing Challenges
– Public diplomacy undermined by perceived U.S. unilateralism
– U.S. moral authority/image eroded by Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, etc.
– Public diplomacy weakened by domestic security paranoia (visa
frustrations, Dubai Ports, etc.)
– Democracy and development assistance agendas viewed skeptically in
many countries
– Fortress mentality at embassies stifl es public access and outreach
– Failure to create counternarrative to global radicalism

41. 41
What NGO’s can do:
• Build and maintain Arabic and English translation entities
and training programs
• Build and maintain student, scientific, sports, cultural,
interfaith exchange programs.
• Fund and produce books, documentaries, videos using
advanced digital technology, to improve inter-cultural
understanding and appreciation.
• Fund and facilitate the development of dialogue
programs and digital community building
• Use call in programs and interactive programs on
satellite TV to engage Arab and American audiences.

42. 42
What Arab Governments can do:
• Build and resource public diplomacy programs
• Encourage and facilitate a free media.
• Encourage translations and digital access of the
best English (and other language) books into
Arabic.
• Encourage freedom of expression, opinion and
association.
• Popularize ICT as a tool for knowledge
acquisition.
• Promote literacy, especially among women.
• Lower barriers on information access,
especially Internet access costs.

43. 43
What Media Organizations can do:
• Break the cycle of mutually reinforcing animosity
• Provide context around Western foreign policy news
• Avoid story images that are sensational or inflammatory
that do not improve context
• Promote professional journalist training and Western
journalist exchanges
• Encourage open, free, objective editorial coverage.
• Open and expand sources for unbiased Western
experts and spokespeople
• Look for Western diversity stories
• Showcase Arab Americans or Arab
British success stories

44. 44
Thank you!
Chris Yalonis
+ 415-309-0331
chris.yalonis@communiquepartners.com
www.islamperceptions.org