ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses two news media stories that appeared in the United States (US) involving two things central to Muslim identity – sharia law and halal food. At a time when Islam’s place in the US was under intense scrutiny and where there is animus directed at Muslims, our analysis identifies that even a story that seeks to normalise Islam and Muslims, can easily miss the mark. By applying the Transformative Journalism Model to the stories, we identify the absence of Muslim voices impacts the ways myths about Islam and its practices can be perpetuated.
