Anti-Arab Racism in the USA: Where It Comes From and What It Means For Politics Today

by Steven Salaita

"Awarded a 2007 Myers Outstanding Book Award. ""A sobering analysis of anti-Arab racism, from neo-conservative to liberal, rooted in America's settler colonial past and seeping into every corner of our lives. Steven Salaita takes the reader into the crisis of Arab-American communities in the wake of 9/11. Written with passion, this lucid account of the dangers of American imperialism paints a dark picture of the agenda of the Bush administration not only in the Arab world but also for people of color at home."" Miriam Cooke, Professor, Duke University ""An impassioned and deeply compelling look at the origins, evolution, manifestations and implications of anti-Arab racism today. ... A tour-de-force."" Lisa Suhair Majaj, co-editor, Etel Adnan: Critical Reflections on the Arab-American Writer and Artist and Intersections: Gender, Nation, and Community in Arab Women's Novels ""Salaita dives head-first into the heart of racism in America and uses his personal experiences to help readers understand the mechanics of racism as it applies to Arabs, Muslims and people who look Middle Eastern in the post-Sept. 11 world."" Ray Hanania, journalist and filmmaker, author of I'm Glad I Look Like a Terrorist: Growing up Arab in America and Arabs of Chicagoland ""A highly recommended read, not only for students of Middle East history, but for the average American who wants to know how we have become so intimately and yet so bitterly entwined with the people of the Middle East. ... Salaita has thoughtfully articulated a very regretful era of unabashed racism in American history."" Ramzy Baroud, editor, Palestine Chronicle and author of Searching Jenin Today is a difficult time to be both Arab and American. Since 9/11 there has been a lot of criticism of America's involvement in the middle east. Yet there has been little analysis of how America treats citizens of Arab or middle eastern origin within its own borders. Stev

Genres: Nonfiction, Social Justice, History

264 pages, Paperback

First published March 20, 2006

About the author

I teach English at Virginia Tech and write about Arab Americans, Indigenous peoples, race and ethnicity, and literature. I live with my beloved wife, my half-blind bichon frise, and my nutty orange tabby in Blacksburg, Virginia. The little fellow in the picture with me is my son, Ignatius, the fiery one.

Reviews

[Rob Prince · Rating 5 out of 5]

These pieces - the series of essays in this book - should be required reading for high school and college students. Salaita links the pre-and post 9-11 experiences of anti-Arab racism in the USA with the broader historical patterns of racism in the USA. Some years ago it struck me that so much about the situation of Arabs/Palestinians is `filtered' through others. The pitfalls of such methodology should be obvious and would be for any other group victimized by racism here in the USA. Salaita's `Palestinian-American voice' is insightful, caring, completely `un-bigoted'...and `on-the-mark' relevant.He is a terrific writer who avoids rhetoric - and explains his subject matter as well as anyone. I intend to use it as an additional `required reading' in a course of global political economy. Haven't figured out how I will integrate it into the course material (which deals with the rise and fall of hegemonic powers both past and present) but will find a way before the fall quarter.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely insigtful and masterly written book. Expresses the views of an arab-american and points out the insane racism that is directed towards this society of people. Agree that it should be a required reading for every single highschool in america and even beyond that.

[Tram Nguyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's the first of its kind of work - placing an arab american politics on the contemporary racial map.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book -- absolute must-read. An intelligent voice on the state of Arab America, the issues impacting the community, and how that affects the rest of the nation.

[Erdoan A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written by a Christian Arab on how Arabs have been constructed in the US and the racism against Arabs and Arab-looking people. An interesting book for issues that matter to Arabs and Arab Americans

[Cheryl]

From the UR Diversity Book Reading Group