Keele Research Repository

9/11 is often marked out as a significant event in the current political and
historical context in that it signalled a discernable shift to a new politics
categorised in specific “Western” countries by the “war on terror”. Through an
examination of British press representation of British Muslims over a 15 year
period I show how this represents a continuation of processes that became more
visible following 9/11. Starting in the period prior to 9/11, I argue that, despite an
overall negativity within the British press, there was some negotiation of these
spaces due to the various affiliations and allegiances of different groups who had
an investment in specific constructions of “Britain” at particular moments.
However, this resulted in the predominance of a “cultural clash” framework as
Muslims became the focus of anxieties of living in an increasingly globalised
world. Whilst these discursive debates have continued to dominate post-9/11, I
examine the emergence of a security framework previously associated with world
news. The aim is to provide an overview of patterns of coverage that might tell us
something about the impact of various political events, most notably 9/11, on
coverage. Other significant moments include the Iraq War, 2003 and the London
bombings on July 7, 2007.