Arab Representation in the Media vs. the Internet

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Arab Representation in the Media vs. the Internet

The Arab culture is one that traces far into religious and cultural roots. Family is considered the most influential, supportive, and important aspect in Arabic life. The value held on religion has had such a grave effect that even laws have been established following various religious guidelines. Basically, the Arab culture is not what most have come to understand. Stereotypes perpetuated by the media and press have had more subtle effects then outright violence. They shape a social climate in which all Arabs are treated as potential terrorists. Very few Americans actually view Arabs in a positive light. This barbaric reputation is primarily due to the one-sided depiction of Arabs that most Americans are so commonly blinded by. Images of Middle Eastern people are mostly violent and sinister. Every time I turn on a news brief of the peace process, or sanction updates particularly in Iraq, I always seem to come across destructive images. Men with guns, recently bombed buses, children throwing rocks across neighboring villages, and of course, war tanks trekking the streets of Baghdad are all typical of any American news broadcast concerning the Middle East. It appears as if the media has nothing more to offer but negative, stereotypical, and humiliating illustrations of Arabic people. However, I have found that the Internet is a prime source of explaining Arab stereotypes and resolving truths. The Internet is one of the few sources of the media that actually gives insight into Arab life and not just Arab warfare. The Internet allows for a much wider range of Arab representation then any other source of the media.

The Internet is truly the only source of ...

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...ational Journal of Middle East Studies Nov. 1995. 5 April 2001. p.405-31.

Haarmann, Ulrich W. “Ideology and history, identity, and alterity: the Arab image of the Turk from ‘Abbasids to modern Egypt.” International Journal of Middle East Studies May 1988. 5 April 2001. p.175-96.

Hamdan, Asim. “The Branding of Terrorism: Why always Muslims? Arab News on the web 19

August 1996. 23 February 2001.<http://www.arab.net/arabview/articles/hamdan1.html>.

Iraqi Entertainment. Ed. Hussam Amdan. May 1999. 15 march 2001

<http://www.vipworld-alpine.com/iraqflash/entertainmentflash.html>.

Shaheen, Jack G. “Arab Images in American Comic Books.” Journal of Popular Culture July 1994. 5 April 2001. p.123-33.

Zoma, Azar. “Myths About Middle-Eastern People/Arabic People” 14 March 1999. 23

February 2001. <http://www.umdcasa.com/myths.html>.

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