A YouTube analysis of Muslim scholar reactions to Trump’s electoral outcome: social work implications

ABSTRACT

This paper investigated Muslim scholars’ immediate YouTube reactions towards President Trump during the November 2016 post-election week. Muslim scholars, also known as Imams or religious leaders, can promote social justice and rally the Muslim community, positively or negatively. Thematic analysis suggested reasons for Trump winning the election, and issues of unity and social justice. The analysis implies that Muslim scholars can be positive first responders and help bind both their Muslim and neighborhood community. The results of this study can help social workers together with Muslim scholars devise better interventions and use online media for community outreach.

KEYWORDS:

• Islam
• Muslim scholar
• social media
• social work
• social justice
• mental health

Acknowledgement:

The authors thank Associate Professor Dr. Sharifah Hayaati Syed Ismail and Ms. Reem Kattach for their assistance on this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.