ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the caricature crisis as a transnational media event. It raises questions about how different interpretations of freedom of speech and blasphemy law figured in the media representations. The chapter explains how freedom of speech recognized by most states as a universal human right was interpreted differently in media representations during the cartoon controversy. It focuses on how the crisis developing after the publication of the twelve Mohammed cartoons in Denmark's largest newspaper, demonstrated a variety of interpretations of freedom of expression as well as the international conventions and national constitutions and punitive laws treating this right. This is based on a larger study of media representation of the cartoon issue in several countries, but with a special focus on Pakistan. The study applies representation theories - the Orientalism critique and theories of its supposed adversary, Occidentalism - as well as critical discourse analysis. The cartoon debate and crisis received wide coverage in the national media in Pakistan.
