AN ACCORD OF CAUTIOUS DISTANCE: MUSLIMS IN NEW ZEALAND, ETHNIC RELATIONS AND IMAGE MANAGEMENT

produce the consequence of problematising the presence of Muslims, most of whom are immigrants, in Western societies. The aftermath of these terror events has encouraged a revaluation in media and the popular press of Islam per se, and of Muslim groups living in the midst of Western host societies. In Europe there had already, prior to these events, emerged a strong sense of beleaguerment of Western culture through the “ rising tide ” of Muslim immigration, strengthening the popular appeal of right-wing political parties with a xenophobic agenda. Now the ever more entrenched and conspicuous presence of Muslims is producing features of “ Islamophobia ” (Vertovec an