COMMENT | The ‘West’ spreads democracy, Islam spawns theocracy. The ‘West’ is disposed to foster peace, the Islamic world to strife. This is the conflicting relationship between ‘the West’ and Islam - if you believe the global media narrative.

Far-right anti-Islamic immigration politicians pander this perceived reality to their base where extremist bigots lurk, and retaliate, like the white supremacist who shot and killed 50 Muslims in Christchurch during their Friday prayers.

Social media reactions to the Christchurch massacre ranged from shocked disbelief that a targeted killing of Muslims could happen in an isolated country like New Zealand, to speculation on the influence of violent video games and the spread of white nationalism in response to Muslim migration to the ‘West’.

How can journalists – and media consumers - avoid being caught in this clash between religions and cultures, and consequently become part of the cause of rising extremism?

A Harvard analyst investigating online radicalisation noted that...