Western stereotypes of West and Central Asians
Encyclopedia
Western Stereotypes of Central and Western Asians are oversimplified generalisations against people from or with ancestry in Central Asia
(including Afghanistan
, Kazakhstan
, Mongolia
, Uzbekistan
, etc.) and Western Asia
(including Iran
, Iraq
, Israel
, Saudi Arabia
, Turkey
, etc.).
Common stereotype
s have become more prevalent in Western countries especially after 9/11
. There have been hate crimes against people of Western Asian origin, who are mostly Muslim
s, in the USA.http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/16/gen.hate.crimes/ Many people who have Muslim names
have also been detained at American airports.http://www.sptimes.com/News/020601/news_pf/Floridian/Assessing_Arab_Americ.shtml
s in Hollywood: An Undeserved Image", Scott J. Simon argues that of all the ethnic groups portrayed in Hollywood films, "Arab culture has been the most misunderstood and supplied with the worst stereotypes".
The American media stereotypes Arabs and Muslim
s as billionaires, belly dancers, bombers, and terrorists
with little regard for human life, especially in the post-9/11
world. Many movies feature Arab terrorist villains threatening to blow things up, including Black Sunday
and Wanted: Dead or Alive. The stereotypical appearance of such Arabs includes beards and keffiyeh
s. The stereotype of the Arab billionaire may have its roots in the 1973 oil crisis
. A number of American movies picture the U.S. military killing Arabs, such as Rules of Engagement
, Iron Eagle
, and Executive Decision
.
Jewish people are sometimes stereotyped in media as cheap and greedy, with exaggerated Semitic physical features such as big, hooked noses, big lips, small eyes, and olive-colored skin. Oftentimes, these stereotypes are based upon antisemitic canards--for instance, having dual loyalty, controlling certain institutions such as the media, being inherently evil, and possessing sexual perversion. Other stereotypes include the complaining and guilt inflicting Jewish mother stereotype, the spoiled and materialistic Jewish-American Princess
and the Nice Jewish Boy
.
In early films such as Cohen's Advertising Scheme (1904, silent) stereotyped Jews as "scheming merchants"
"Habib Marwan" (The Arabic name Habib is extremely rare as a given name in Turkey
, and the Arabic surname Marwan does not exist as a Turkish surname; and the letter "W
" does not exist in the Latin-based Turkish alphabet
) from 24
is one of the more well-known "Turkish" character in the mold of this stereotype.
"The Turk", a Turkish Mafioso in the dark comedy film
Buffalo Soldiers
and "Ahmet Sunay", a Turkish High-Tech Missile Guidance System dealer and "businessman" in the thriller film The International
, both played by Turkish actor
Haluk Bilginer
is another similar stereotype.
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
(including Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, etc.) and Western Asia
Southwest Asia
Western Asia, West Asia, Southwest Asia or Southwestern Asia are terms that describe the westernmost portion of Asia. The terms are partly coterminous with the Middle East, which describes a geographical position in relation to Western Europe rather than its location within Asia...
(including Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, etc.).
Common stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
s have become more prevalent in Western countries especially after 9/11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
. There have been hate crimes against people of Western Asian origin, who are mostly Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s, in the USA.http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/16/gen.hate.crimes/ Many people who have Muslim names
Arabic name
Long ago, Arabic names were based on a long naming system; most Arabs did not simply have given/middle/family names, but a full chain of names. This system was in use throughout the Arab world. Today however, Arabic names are similar in structure to those of Modern and Western names...
have also been detained at American airports.http://www.sptimes.com/News/020601/news_pf/Floridian/Assessing_Arab_Americ.shtml
Arabs
In his essay "ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s in Hollywood: An Undeserved Image", Scott J. Simon argues that of all the ethnic groups portrayed in Hollywood films, "Arab culture has been the most misunderstood and supplied with the worst stereotypes".
The American media stereotypes Arabs and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s as billionaires, belly dancers, bombers, and terrorists
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
with little regard for human life, especially in the post-9/11
Post-9/11
Post-9/11 is a term used to describe state of living in the United States or other parts of the world after the September 11 attacks, in reference to the many changes that have occurred due to the attacks...
world. Many movies feature Arab terrorist villains threatening to blow things up, including Black Sunday
Black Sunday (1977 film)
Black Sunday is a 1977 American thriller film directed by John Frankenheimer and based on the novel by Thomas Harris. The film starred Robert Shaw, Bruce Dern, and Marthe Keller and was nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture in 1978...
and Wanted: Dead or Alive. The stereotypical appearance of such Arabs includes beards and keffiyeh
Keffiyeh
The keffiyeh/kufiya , also known as a ghutrah , ' , mashadah , shemagh or in Persian chafiye , Kurdish cemedanî and Turkish puşi, is a traditional Arab headdress fashioned from a square, usually cotton, scarf. It is typically worn by Arab men, as well as some Kurds...
s. The stereotype of the Arab billionaire may have its roots in the 1973 oil crisis
1973 oil crisis
The 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
. A number of American movies picture the U.S. military killing Arabs, such as Rules of Engagement
Rules of Engagement (film)
Rules of Engagement is a 2000 American film directed by William Friedkin and starring Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson. Jackson plays Marine Colonel Terry Childers, who is brought to court-martial on charges of disobeying the rules of engagement in a military incident at an American embassy...
, Iron Eagle
Iron Eagle
Iron Eagle is a 1986 action film directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Jason Gedrick and Louis Gossett, Jr. While it received mixed reviews, the film earned US$24,159,872 at the U.S. box office. Iron Eagle was followed by three sequels: Iron Eagle II, Aces: Iron Eagle III and Iron Eagle on the...
, and Executive Decision
Executive Decision
Executive Decision is a 1996 action film, directed by Stuart Baird and starring Kurt Russell, Halle Berry and Steven Seagal. The original music was composed by Jerry Goldsmith...
.
Jews
Jewish-American princess
Jewish-American Princess or JAP is a pejorative stereotype of a subtype of Jewish-American female. The term implies materialistic and selfish tendencies, attributed to a pampered or wealthy background.-Origins:...
and the Nice Jewish Boy
Nice Jewish boy
The Nice Jewish boy is a stereotype of Jewish masculinity which circulates within the American Jewish community, as well as in mainstream American culture...
.
In early films such as Cohen's Advertising Scheme (1904, silent) stereotyped Jews as "scheming merchants"
Turkish
Turkey is mistakenly depicted as a desert dotted with date palms and camels, however Turkey has a diverse terrain, and deserts do not exit, and date palms and camels which are not native are very rare."Habib Marwan" (The Arabic name Habib is extremely rare as a given name in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and the Arabic surname Marwan does not exist as a Turkish surname; and the letter "W
W
W is the 23rd letter in the basic modern Latin alphabet.In other Germanic languages, including German, its pronunciation is similar or identical to that of English V...
" does not exist in the Latin-based Turkish alphabet
Turkish alphabet
The Turkish alphabet is a Latin alphabet used for writing the Turkish language, consisting of 29 letters, seven of which have been modified from their Latin originals for the phonetic requirements of the language. This alphabet represents modern Turkish pronunciation with a high degree of accuracy...
) from 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
is one of the more well-known "Turkish" character in the mold of this stereotype.
"The Turk", a Turkish Mafioso in the dark comedy film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Buffalo Soldiers
Buffalo Soldiers (2001 film)
Buffalo Soldiers is a 2001 film, based on the 1993 novel by Robert O'Connor, which follows the rogue activities of a group of US soldiers based in West Germany during 1989 when the fall of the Berlin Wall is imminent...
and "Ahmet Sunay", a Turkish High-Tech Missile Guidance System dealer and "businessman" in the thriller film The International
The International (film)
The International is a 2009 thriller film directed by Tom Tykwer. The film follows an Interpol agent and an American attorney who investigate corruption within the IBBC, a fictional merchant bank based in Luxembourg. It serves organized crime and corrupt governments as a banker and as an arms...
, both played by Turkish actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Haluk Bilginer
Haluk Bilginer
Haluk Bilginer is a Turkish actor. In addition to his acting career in Turkey, he has also worked in the United Kingdom and remains best known for his role as Mehmet Osman in the television soap opera EastEnders during the 1980s. He has also starred in Hollywood movies as a minor actor...
is another similar stereotype.