This article interrogates the notions of terrorism and Islamophobia in two cultural sites. Deploying case study, the article examines the 15 December 2014 Lindt Café siege in Australia and the 16 December 2014 Army Public School massacre in Pakistan. These sites were selected for comparative analysis due to their concurrence and as concerns surrounding terrorism have been mostly West-centric. Findings show that despite socio-political differences, terror attacks in both states ignited activist movements such as ‘Reclaim Pakistan’ and ‘Reclaim Australia’, with both aiming to eradicate extremism. However, while the former focused on the need to reclaim the country from militants, the latter engaged in hate narratives about Islam and Muslims. Islamophobia was identified in Australia, with Taliban-phobia and rejection of Islamo-fascism in Pakistan, as Pakistanis negotiated their identities in a pluralistic Muslim world. The article suggests the need for both local and global processes that are culturally appropriate to mitigate terrorism.
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International Communication Gazette / Vol. Article in press
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