Arabs and Muslims in the Media: Race and Representation after 9/11

Critical Cultural Communication

by Evelyn Alsultany

After 9/11, there was an increase in both the incidence of hate crimes and government policies that targeted Arabs and Muslims and the proliferation of sympathetic portrayals of Arabs and Muslims in the U.S. media. Arabs and Muslims in the Media examines this paradox and investigates the increase of sympathetic images of “the enemy” during the War on Terror.





Evelyn Alsultany explains that a new standard in racial and cultural representations emerged out of the multicultural movement of the 1990s that involves balancing a negative representation with a positive one, what she refers to as “simplified complex representations.” This has meant that if the storyline of a TV drama or film represents an Arab or Muslim as a terrorist, then the storyline also includes a “positive” representation of an Arab, Muslim, Arab American, or Muslim American to offset the potential stereotype. Analyzing how TV dramas such as The Practice, 24, Law and Order, NYPD Blue, and Sleeper Cell, news-reporting, and non-profit advertising have represented Arabs, Muslims, Arab Americans, and Muslim Americans during the War on Terror, this book demonstrates how more diverse representations do not in themselves solve the problem of racial stereotyping and how even seemingly positive images can produce meanings that can justify exclusion and inequality.

Genres: Middle East, Cultural Studies, Film, Academic

239 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Diz]

This is a thought provoking book that challenges readers to take a more nuanced view of how Arabs and Muslims are portrayed in the media. Alsultany presents the idea of 'simplified complex representations', or ways in which media attempt to represent Arabs and Muslims in a positive light, but which ultimately fail if the overall narrative is negative. She also challenges readers not to think of Muslims as 'good' or 'bad', which forces them to be evaluated through their relationship with the United States.

If you're interested in the concept of representation in media, I highly recommend this book. A lot of the concepts presented here would be applicable to other minority groups as well.

[Robert]

Really interesting topic and the author is very clear, thorough, and nuanced with her arguments. I found that many questions I had while reading were answered later in the book

[Roaa Abdulaziz]

Very interesting!
The introduction raises many ideas every researcher benefits from.
The analysis of 24 is fascinating as well.
The language Alsultany uses is simple and engaging!

[Kate McGuire]

This was a great book to get the bigger picture of how the U.S. treats Arabs and Muslims in our society post 9/11. Having to grow up in this culture as a kid, it’s now eye opening to see what damage has been done and what we can do about xenophobia in the U.S.

[Clara]

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