Do now• Does the media shape or reflect

society?

• Find demography statistics on the percentage of Muslims in:

• London- (EastEnders)12.4 % ( largest majority in east London)

• Manchester (Corrie) - 8.6%

• Bradford-( Yasmin) 24%

• Birmingham- (Citizen Khan) 21%

• The Daily Mail- 4 million readership- How many Londoners?

Muslims on mainstream soaps?

• Discuss: • Until 2008 there were no Muslim families

represented on either EastEnders or Coronation Street.

• EastEnders is set in east London and Coronation Street in Manchester, both of which are areas with significant Muslim - Asian communities. So why did it take the BBC and ITV so long to incorporate a Muslim family into their soaps?

Starter:EastEnders and The Masood family.

• In pairs select a Masood family member from EastEnders (past or present) and make some notes about them.

• How do they represent the Muslim community?

• Dr Yusuf: he is seen as very traditional. Conforms to stereotypes. Was married to Zainab. Wanted his daughter to be married to Tanwar. He is a zealot- conforming to Asian Muslim patriarchal stereotypes.

• Syed: 2010 Syed came out as gay. Involved in an arranged marriage but having an affair with white male-Christian. Returned to the family after being an shunned by the family.

Shabnam Masood• http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/34c3R78WgJBv1VmX4L2p729/shabnam-masood

The Massood family who began on the show in 2008 and now represent a fully integrated Muslim family. They have been involved in many of the more sensational storylines.

However when the show began they were definitely a family who’s cultural differences were referred to by the white British characters.

However there is an attempt by the BBC to ensure the Masoods retain some cultural authenticity through references to the mosque and the Koran.

Shabnam’s wearing of the hijab is also important as was Said’s dilemma over his sexuality within the Muslim community.

The Nazir Family- Coronation Street

Coronation Street’s introduction of the Nazir family in 2014 was in many ways ‘an evolution in integration’ from the Masood family.

The Nazir’s were from the beginning introduced as characters that fully integrated with their white neighbours, quickly forming relationships with them.

There are also fewer explicit references to Islamic beliefs and Muslim culture.

The Nazir’s could be classed as a ‘deracialised’ family.

• Reading task: Find the article below about the Nazir family in Coronation Street online. Read and make notes

• http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/15/coronation-street-muslim-family-cliches-avoid

TV Soaps-Reflecting or shaping society?

• Both Enders and Corrie have created more westernised, moderateMuslim families that integrate with the white British characters.

• Mainstream soaps feature sensational storylines (infidelity etc.) the Muslim characters have to integrate into that ‘exaggerated reality’.

• There has been a significant amount of time since 9/11(14 years) and 7/7 (9 years). The representations of Muslims on TV has ‘evolved’.

• The Nazir and the Masood families represent 2010’s changing perceptions of British Muslims in a similar way to Citizen Khan.

• More deracialised representations of British Muslim culture? Or is that white mainstream, non-Muslim society are more informed and accepting of British Muslims.

• Written task:

• How have mainstream UK TV soap operas challenged representations of the Muslim community?

• Plan for 5 mins

• Spend 25 mins.

Guardian article on Muslim family

• By Nosheen Iqbal

Quotes from Adil Ray on Citizen Khan• "He's a Pakistani Muslim, and since 9/11, we've seen more and more

characters come on TV and represent their communities, maybe not by their choosing,"

• I think we have to be very aware of this: it's a population of 60 million, of which Asians are only two million," he says. "I think sometimes we probably expect there to be more than there really should be. The majority of this country is still massively white. If you break it up proportionally, you might think, actually, we probably are about right.“

• The BBC knew there was "probably going to be an adverse reaction" as "it's a very sensitive area – it's the first time we've had a sitcom based on a Muslim Pakistani family".

• "There was something my mum taught me when I was younger: 'Don't allow yourself to be offended about anything in life.'

• What I've intended to do is make Mr Khan a good character, to make him universal and a communication between different communities.“

• "Yes [Citizen Khan] is about a Pakistani Muslim family but what I really want is a white English lady to be watching it and nudge her husband and say 'That's like you, Mr Khan is just like you'.