Daniel Sukkarieh

Thesis supervisor: Lynda Clarke

Thesis Working Title: When Violence Becomes "Religious": The Politics of Classification in Al Jazeera English and BBC News

Daniel Sukkarieh is currently pursuing an M.A. in Religions and Cultures at Concordia University under the supervision of Dr. Lynda Clarke. Before coming to Concordia, Daniel studied psychology and history at the Lebanese American University and later pursued studies in criminology at the Université de Montréal. His background in these different fields has shaped his interest in understanding religion and its relationship with society, politics, and human behaviour. His current research focuses on how religion is discussed and represented in relation to political violence, particularly in the news media. For his master's thesis, Daniel is comparing coverage from Al Jazeera English and BBC News to better understand how certain acts of violence come to be described as religious, while others are explained differently. He is especially interested in how the words used to describe events can influence the way people understand them. Beyond his thesis, his academic interests include the study of religion in contemporary society, political violence, media discourse, and the relationship between religious identity and public perceptions. Daniel hopes to continue exploring these questions as he develops his research.