From the Inside Flap
Some of the divergent identity options chosen by Arab Americans can be placed to the treatment of Arabs and their culture in the United States. In both popular culture and government policy, anti-Arab stereotypes since the 1970s have affixed a stigma on Arab ethnicity in America. The first wave of immigrants did confront Nativism, ignorance, and anti-foreign sentiments of the prewar period, but they were rarely singled out.
From the Back Cover
The Arab as villain has been a favorite scapegoat of popular American culture, thereby setting the stage for acts of discrimination and bigotry that have affected Arab Americans at home and resulted in a range of reactions. In the most assimilated circles, personal pride in Arab heritage did not always reach the public realm, where the stigma of unpopularity and controversy motivated some to mask their ethnicity, particularly in such arenas as the entertainment, media, and academic fields. You'll be surprised to know how many celebrities in America are from Arab ancestry, such as Selma Hayek, Paula Abdul, Casey Cassem, and many others.
About the Author
Aladdin Elaasar is an expert on Egypt and the Arab World. He has been a frequent commentator on the Middle East on American and international TV and Radio networks such as CNN, ABC, NBC, NPR, MSNBC, FOX NEWS, BBC radio and TV, and others. Elaasar has been teaching Mid-Eastern studies at several American universities. He was nominated as a candidate for the presidential elections in Egypt in 2005. His campaign gained worldwide media coverage. His columns cover international relations, current events, and Arab/American issues. He was cited in Guardian, New York Times, The Huffington Post, Washington Post, Sunday Times, Paris Match, La Stampa, and the international press. He is the author of The Last Pharaoh: Mubarak and the Uncertain Future of Egypt in the Obama Age. He also wrote: For Stars and Stripes: American-Arabs in the U.S. Military, Barracuda: The Unauthorized Biography of Sarah palin, and Silent Victims: Arab and Muslim Americans Post 9/11.
