The representation of Muslim characters in International drama series aired on streaming video-on-demand services : A Comparative Analytical Study of Representations Across Genres and Genders /

Abstract

This study investigates the representation of Muslim characters in international drama series available on streaming video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms, focusing on content produced between 2016 and 2021. The sample is divided into two thematic clusters of drama genres: (1) thriller, crime, and horror; and (2) romance, comedy, and social drama. The research foregrounds gender as a social construct, analyzing the portrayal of both binary and non-binary Muslim characters across different sexual orientations. Grounded in framing theory, the study employs the second and third levels—visuals as stylistic semiotic systems and as connotative systems—of the four-tiered visual framing model developed by Rodríguez and Dimitrova (2011). The researcher developed seven specific analytical frames: otherness vs. belonging; guilty and persecuted vs. free and innocent; terrorism vs. pacifism; positive vs. negative character attributes; stereotypical vs. diverse dramatic contexts; and depictions of environments—urban, vibrant cities vs. primitive, desolate, desert-like locations. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative and qualitative content analysis. The quantitative analysis addressed demographic variables, descriptive data, media frames and frames’ nature, and representational elements such as fashion style, facial features, and head coverings. The qualitative analysis examined visual framing through stylistic variables—shot size, depth of field, camera angle, lighting, and composition—and connotative elements such as figurative and abstract symbols and visual metaphors. A peer-reviewed coding book was developed to define operational variables. Findings reveal a paradigmatic shift in the representation of Muslim characters, moving away from trope-driven, negative stereotypes toward more nuanced, diverse, and realistic portrayals— challenging the majority of existing literature on Muslim representations and supporting the findings of the exploratory study.