Mistaken Identity: Arab Stereotypes in Popular Writing

Stereotypes of Arabs in traditional desert dress or ominous military fatigues are ever-present in popular writing. The use of these undifferentiated villains is a shortcut to the reader's psyche which writers often use to simply the task of characterization. To the detriment of the U.S. national interest, as well as the interest of truth, these stereotypes reinforce and promote the pre-judgement of one side involved in future Middle East peace settlements and policies. Professor Janice Terry exposes this bias in biographies, "instant" histories, mysteries, and novels from Exodus to The Haj.