Are the United States government and mainstream media exaggerating the threat posed by radical Islamic terrorism? Yes, says Deepa Kumar, an associate professor of media studies and Middle East studies at Rutgers University, in this filmed lecture. Kumar repeatedly raises the point that acts of violence by white supremacists pose a greater risk to the American public. “Jihadi terrorism does pose a threat, but it is a very, very limited threat,” she says, ignoring the mass shootings in Orlando, San Bernardino, and Fort Hood, as well as the thwarted shoe bombing on a plane bound for Detroit, not to mention the 9/11 attacks. Kumar rightfully condemns the Trump administration for pushing an irrational argument that gives the impression that a great number of Muslims are terrorists. Sadly, the forcefulness of her argument is diluted by her strident presentation and the film's cheap production values. While framed as a lecture, Kumar is filmed standing in front of a screen, reading from a laptop and glancing in various directions, although viewers never see whether she is speaking to an audience or herself. Still, the timely subject matter makes this a strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Constructing the Terrorist Threat
(2017) 55 min. DVD: $34.95: public libraries; $280: community colleges; $350; colleges & universities. DRA. Media Education Foundation. PPR. ISBN: 1-944024-96-4. Volume 33, Issue 1
Constructing the Terrorist Threat
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