A1 Journal article (refereed)
Motorcycles, minarets, and mullahs : a multimodal critical discourse analysis on Pakistan’s journey to rebrand Islam (2024)
Salam-Salmaoui, R., Salam, S., & Hassan, S. (2024). Motorcycles, minarets, and mullahs : a multimodal critical discourse analysis on Pakistan’s journey to rebrand Islam. Semiotica, 2024(258), 115-142. https://doi.org/10.1515/sem-2023-0178
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Salam-Salmaoui, Rauha; Salam, Shazrah; Hassan, Shajee
Journal or series: Semiotica
ISSN: 0037-1998
eISSN: 1613-3692
Publication year: 2024
Publication date: 19/04/2024
Volume: 2024
Issue number: 258
Pages range: 115-142
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Place of Publication: Berlin
Publication country: Germany
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sem-2023-0178
Publication open access: Openly available
Publication channel open access: Open Access channel
Abstract
This study addresses the issue of how religious authority is negotiated and redefined in the age of digital media, focusing on the case of Raja Zia ul Haq, a Pakistani Muslim cleric. Utilizing Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis, the study posits that Zia ul Haq’s strategic semiotic choices in attire and symbolism serve as calculated maneuvers to navigate complex dialogues of power, identity, and cultural capital. The findings reveal that his appropriation of biker club symbolism disrupts traditional paradigms of Islamic clerical authority in Pakistan. These choices resonate with a younger, digitally savvy audience and function as a form of religious rebranding. The study argues that Zia ul Haq’s semiotic choices challenge monolithic interpretations of Islamic authority, thereby opening new avenues for religious engagement and interpretation. The significance of this work lies in its transnational implications, offering a counter-narrative that challenges prevailing stereotypes about Islamic scholars and suggests new paradigms for understanding religious authority in a globalized world.
Keywords: cultural appropriation; digital media; discourse analysis; semiotics; Islam; Muslims; religiousness; Pakistanis
Free keywords: cultural appropriation; digital media; multimodal critical discourse analysis; Islamic scholars; Pakistan
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
VIRTA submission year: 2024
Preliminary JUFO rating: 3