Author: Brittany Wightman
Dr. Jack Shaheen visited Occidental Tuesday, Sept. 20 for a screening of his documentary “Reel Bad Arabs” and an informal discussion of the issues raised in the film. Attempting to engage students in a dialogue regarding prejudice that exists in today’s society, Shaheen explored the stereotypical representations of Middle Eastern people in films throughout history which continue into modern times in “Reel Bad Arabs.”
In his introduction of the film, Shaheen described what inspired him to create “Reel Bad Arabs.” In 1975, Shaheen wrote his first critique of the negative portrayal of Arab people in the media and the affect of such images on societal preconceptions of the Arab. His essay was one of the first to discuss this prejudice, and the criticism he received from colleagues and other professionals spurred him to pursue further research. “I didn’t expect it,” he said. “But when you’re working on a project, you stay the course. What matters most is not letting those types of incidents change you.”
The essay eventually grew from a simple critique to a fully fledged research project ending in Shaheen’s book, “Reel Bad Arabs.” In the 25-year process of writing the book, Shaheen examined over 1,000 films that referenced the Arab and repeatedly found stereotypical representations. The book, sparked by the initial exploration of prejudice, eventually led to the conception and subsequent production of the documentary Shaheen screened at his Occidental lecture.
Narrated by Dr. Shaheen, the documentary contains clips from 60 different films, including some of the oldest cartoons of the mischievous Ali Baba, slapstick comedies with the idiotic terrorist representations as well as more contemporary examples of blockbuster hits about dark-hearted jihadists.
In the film’s opening chapter, Shaheen delved back to the history of Orientalism. It examines the Middle East in the context of a rich Oriental fascination blossoming in the West, a tradition established during British and French occupation centuries ago. As Shaheen showed, this particular image exists in many films today. Shaheen called this creation “The Arabland,” which is often replete with gleaming scimitars, turbaned snake charmers and belly dancing women. With the advent of Orientalism came the easily recognizable image of the Arab man as an immediate source of danger and the Arab woman as the sensual and oppressed accessory.
To explain the roots of the prejudice more deeply, Shaheen traced the history of American interaction with the Arab world and how it has shaped the stereotypical presentations of Middle Easterners. He noted that America’s involvement with the Middle East began with the Arab-Israeli conflict in which the U.S. supported the establishment of Israel. The oil embargo that followed wrought havoc on the American economy, further turning Western sentiment against the Middle East. The violence and chaos of the Iranian Revolution, an event which was covered extensively in the media, crystallized the region of Americans’ imaginations that pinned the Middle East as an area of political opposition and strife.
Shaheen then addressed how the events of September 11 have warped Americans’ perception of Middle Easterners generally. He suggested that for some Americans, the faces of the 19 Muslim Arabs who are associated with the attacks became comparable to the face of anyone who appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent. He then continued to show images of the attacks, the faces of the terrorists and images of abuse against Arab prisoners of war. “We have been conditioned not to feel sympathy,” Shaheen said after this sequence of visuals.”For many of us, we are comfortable with our prejudices.”
An antidote to these prejudices exist, however, and Shaheen has hope for that change. He discussed the role of humor in unraveling the stereotype by suggesting that comedians have historically eased the tension that surrounds stigmas and social injustices. He also mentioned several films that positively portray Middle Easterners, including “Kingdom of Heaven,” “Hideous Kinky” and “Syriana,” the latter for which he served as a consultant.
Shaheen ended on a note of optimism. In the film he emphasizes his hope for the future, while at the end of his presentation he imparted a piece of wisdom to the students: despite different faiths, races or histories, a coalescence of spirit that transcends all else unites us all.
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