Navigating the Aftermath: Crisis Communication Strategies of Muslim Organizations in the Wake of Terror Attacks Conducted by Islamist Fundamentalists

This study seeks to improve our understanding of effective crisis communication of Muslim organizations after terror attacks using real-world examples as stimuli. Actual public statements issued by Muslim organizations in response to the terror attack conducted by Islamist fundamentalists in Berlin in 2016 were used. After presenting these statements, participants completed a survey assessing perceptions of the statements, specifically focusing on the degree of distancing from the perpetrator, the emphasis on societal commitment, and the emotional framing of the statements. Additionally, the survey measured the extent to which respondents attributed responsibility for the terrorist attack to the Muslim organization, as well as their broader perceptions of the Muslim organization, Muslims in general, and Islam. Our results show that especially emphasizing societal commitment has a positive effect on public perception, whereas distancing and message framing have lower impact. The present study underlines the importance of including attributed responsibility into the research framework.