Stereotypes and Arab American Muslim High Schoolstudents: a Misunderstood Group

Arab American Muslims are one of the mostmisunderstood ethnic and religious groups in theUnited States. Indeed, to many Americans, Arabs andIslam seem alien and shrouded in mystery. For anumber of complicated reasons, the education andsocial adjustment of Arab American Muslims hasreceived less scholarly attention than other ethnicand religious groups. This is ironic, given that ArabAmerican Muslims are highly visible (albeit in anegative sense) and one of the fastest growingpopulations in the U. S. In an effort to better understand this diversecommunity, this study investigated how five ArabAmerican Muslim high school students perceive andcope with stereotypes and the way their culture andreligion is portrayed in film, the media, popularculture, and school curricula. Through the compellingwords of these quintessential Arab American Muslimteenagers, we come to appreciate the livedexperiences of the 'Other' as they navigate growingup in a post-September 11 world. This book isintended for educators interestedin incorporating critical pedagogy, criticalliteracy, equity, and multicultural education intotheir instruction.