Languages & Global Studies

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Culture and Identity

In the Middle East and North Africa

This page provides resources for understanding culture and identity in the Middle East and North Africa, and among Muslims and Arab Americans. It addresses the misconception, common among American college students, the “there is no diversity in the MENA.”

Quicklinks

Lecture and Class Activities

On Day 3 of the 2018 Bimson Seminar, Dr. Mary Vogl presented on identity and diversity in the Middle East and North Africa.

View Dr. Vogl’s lecture here.

CSU instructor and media scholar Usama Alshaibi also presented on the representation of Arab American and Muslim identities in the media.

Listen to his podcast, Usama Talk.

Four students wearing CSU clothing walk across campus

Resources

This list provides resources for U.S. educators and students seeking to better understand culture and identity in the Middle East and North Africa and among Arab Americans. It is far from exhaustive and is intended as a starting point only. Many of these resources should be viewed and used critically and with care.

  1. Music Video: French Montana (2018). “Famous.”
  2. “Islamic Art and Geometric Design” Exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
  3. Documentary: Reel Bad Arabs
  4. Sacred Music Festival in Fes, Morocco (2018)
  5. Bibliography: Understanding Islamophobia
  6. Aramco World Classroom Guides
  7. Teach Mideast Website
  8. The United Nations Arab Human Development Report
  9. Muslim Girl Website

Further Reading

This list provides a sampling of scholarship on cultural issues and identities among MENA inhabitants, Muslims, and Arab Americans that may help to explore and elucidate these topics in the classroom. Resources are linked to online documents as available.

  1. Anti-Defamation League (2017). “Myths and Facts about Muslim People and Islam.”
  2. Curiel, Jonathan (2016). “A Is for Arab.” AramcoWorld.
  3. Green, Michael (2015, February 4). “American Sniper Perpetuates Hollywood’s Typical Arab Stereotypes.” The Conversation.
  4. Hirchi, Mohammed (2007). “Media Representations of the Middle East.” Media Development 2.
  5. McQueeney, Krista (2014). “Disrupting Islamophobia: Teaching the Social Construction of Terrorism in the Mass Media.” International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education 26.2.
  6. Michael, Maggie, and Mariam Fam, “In Egypt, Transgender Activist Fights Battles on Multiple Fronts,” Associated Press News (March 28, 2020).
  7. Steves, R. (2009). “Turkey and Morocco: Sampling Secular Islam.” In Travel as a Political Act. New York: Nation Books.