TY - CHAP
T1 - Combating Islamophobia
T2 - English in the Linguistic Landscape of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
AU - Hillman, Sara
AU - Ahmad, Rizwan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 selection and editorial matter, Kay Gallagher; individual chapters, the contributors.
PY - 2025/4/29
Y1 - 2025/4/29
N2 - This chapter analyzes Qatar’s strategic use of English and other non-official languages in public signage and religious messaging during the FIFA World Cup. In 2022, Qatar became the first Arab and Muslim country to host the World Cup, marking a significant milestone for international football. However, undercurrents of Islamophobia shaped much of the discourse in Western media about the event. To counter Islamophobic narratives, Qatar strategically placed public signage that articulated Islamic viewpoints on global issues such as human rights and environmental sustainability, using English to convey these messages. This approach also highlighted universal values, such as peace, kindness, and mercy, which are central to the Islamic faith. This chapter shows how Qatar used the linguistic landscape to present Islam in languages most World Cup attendees understood, positioning itself as a mediator in the global conversation on Islam. By doing so, it challenged stereotypes through education and open dialogue.
AB - This chapter analyzes Qatar’s strategic use of English and other non-official languages in public signage and religious messaging during the FIFA World Cup. In 2022, Qatar became the first Arab and Muslim country to host the World Cup, marking a significant milestone for international football. However, undercurrents of Islamophobia shaped much of the discourse in Western media about the event. To counter Islamophobic narratives, Qatar strategically placed public signage that articulated Islamic viewpoints on global issues such as human rights and environmental sustainability, using English to convey these messages. This approach also highlighted universal values, such as peace, kindness, and mercy, which are central to the Islamic faith. This chapter shows how Qatar used the linguistic landscape to present Islam in languages most World Cup attendees understood, positioning itself as a mediator in the global conversation on Islam. By doing so, it challenged stereotypes through education and open dialogue.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105001884900&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4324/9781032699974-13
DO - 10.4324/9781032699974-13
M3 - Chapter
AN - SCOPUS:105001884900
SN - 9781032699967
SP - 198
EP - 225
BT - World Englishes in the Arab Gulf States
PB - Taylor and Francis
ER -