Oct. 10-28, 2012
Russell J. Ebeid Library & Resource Center

Dr. Jack G. Shaheen dedicated his career to identifying and contesting damaging stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims in American media. He has connected their development to the portrayals of other marginalized groups including Jews, Native Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos and African Americans. His research analyzes the origins of these visual caricatures, reveals their very real ramifications for innocent people, and presents solutions to counter them effectively.

AANM presents a fascinating primer on Shaheen’s work with A is for Arab: Stereotypes in U.S. Popular Culture. Powerful, accessible and compelling, the exhibition features images from The Jack G. Shaheen Archive at New York University (NYU), reveals and critiques the stereotypical portrayals of Arabs and Muslims in U.S. popular culture. Providing historical context about these images which range from film stills to comic books to editorial cartoons, this traveling exhibition aims to educate and stimulate discussion about the impact of stereotypes on both individual perceptions and national policy.

Jack Shaheen (1935-2017) was the leading expert on Arab stereotypes in Hollywood films, television shows and elsewhere in popular culture. He is the author of four books: Nuclear War Films; Arab and Muslim Stereotyping in American Popular Culture; The TV Arab; and the award-winning book and film Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People. He was a member of AANM’s National Advisory Board, and co-hosted Arab Images on Film on cable TV’s Turner Classic Movies in June 2011.

This exhibition, presented by NYU’s Asian/Pacific/American Institute and its Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies, premiered Feb. 23, 2012 at NYU, where Shaheen was a Distinguished Visiting Scholar.