Media Stereotyping of the Arab World - Essay Example

Critical Thinking Contributions to My Learning The media stereotyping of the Middle East and the Arab world in general contributed significantly to my learning and understanding about the relationship, which exists between the West and the East. While watching the movie “Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People” I was perplexed on how the western media has stereotyped Arabs and the Islamic religion by connecting them to terror groups.1 This issue contributed to my understanding of the Western and Eastern political, social cultural and religious environments. This is because of the fact that the movie caused me to be interested in the reasons why the Western media was stereotyping Arabs in relation to terrorism. I was interested in determining whether media stereotyping of the Arab world was justified or not. The video allowed me to understand that the media portrayed a negative picture of the Middle East region resulting into possible negative implications on its relationship with western countries. It is through this video that I now understand that the media fails to demonstrate that there are specific extremist groups that mastermind terrorists and they do not represent the Middle East or Arab world in general. It is because of this stereotyping that the western society has negative perceptions and attitudes about Arabs. While watching this movie, I realized that the western media is interested more in profits than the negative social, political and religious consequences that they caused within the world in general. The stereotyping has for instance resulted in racist perceptions, which tend to associate Arabs with terror related crimes. The negative image on the Islamic religion, as portrayed in the western media has also caused general or global distrust and the widening of the gap between Christians and Muslims. This video influenced my learning more because it motivated me to conduct further inquiries into the historical relationships between the west and the Arab world. I realized that this relationship have been worsened by cases of terror attacks and the misleading pictures on Hollywood blockbusters. This is due to the reality that most of the terror attacks on western soils have been attributed to Muslims from the Middle East or Arab countries. The second issue that significantly influenced my learning processes during the course is the contribution of the Arabs towards modern civilization. My interest in the history of contemporary civilization caused me to inquire further into discoveries by the Arabs, which have made the modern world what it is today. I was highly motivated by the contributions of the Arabs towards medicine and mathematics. These contributions influenced my learning because I was enabled to relate the Arab contributions and the political and social cultural relationships, which exist between the Middle East and the rest of the world, especially western countries. While researching on the role of the Arabs I astronomy and architecture, I am now confident that the Arabs have contributed to the success of the countries which are currently hostile to them. The contribution of the Arabs towards the modern state of the civilized society influenced my learning greatly because I was able to learn some aspects of the world’s sectors of the economy that I would not have known through the course text alone. I gained general knowledge in areas, such as music, philosophy and art, through the interest in the historic Arabic inventions and discoveries, which motivated the current state of the civilized world.2 Through the reading on the role of Arabs in the civilized world, I believe that the rest of the world has a lot to thank and appreciate the Arabs. I also tend to think that there was unfair exploitation of the discoveries of the Arab people, which has caused the Middle East a lesser beneficiary of discoveries that were made by its own people. The third issue that influenced my learning in the course in a significant manner is the contribution of various Muslim thinkers and scholars of the 14th century. This issue influenced my learning and understanding of the important role of science, psychology, medicine and philosophy in the modern world. The Muslim thinkers and scholars contributed significantly to the knowledge that is held in the modern world about various issues. Additionally, I gathered that it is through the contribution of these thinkers and scholars that modern research theories and hypotheses are based. I used some of the theories of the historical Muslim scholars to perceive and understand course material. It is in line with this that I believe that this issue influenced my learning in the course in a great way. I was amazed by the reality that the Muslim society has contributed significantly towards modern theories in various fields. These issues influenced my research into the role of Muslims in academia. During this research, I discovered that the Muslim thinkers and scholars in world history are being cited by scholars across the world. This includes both Muslim and Christians. The issue made me to appreciate the fact that Muslims have been appreciated more than it is depicted within modern media. This issue made me to argue that the Muslim society still has a lot to offer in making the modern world better. In the light of the contribution of Muslim thinkers and scholars, I tend to believe that the negative stereotyping of the Muslims is not warranted. The contribution of the Muslim thinkers and scholars further influenced my learning because I was encouraged or motivated to be part of positive change within the Middle East and the rest of the world. I believe that I would achieve this through my education and leadership within the society. This issue made me to be convinced that like the historic Muslim thinkers and scholars, I can also contribute to positive change within the modern society. While reading through the lives of the influential Muslim thinkers and scholars of the 14th Century, I was enabled to learn about the factors, which contributes towards the success of an individual. I now appreciate the important role of creativity, commitment and focus on life goals regardless of the inevitable challenges that each of us is likely to face. Examples that Simulated My Critical Thinking The issue of terror is a significant example, which stimulated my critical thought processes about the challenges, problems and opportunities that face the region. I consider this issue to be highly significant because it is common on contemporary media and has caused negative social, religious and political implications on the region. The association of terrorism with the Middle East caused me to think critically on its role in the wars that western states have staged against countries in the Middle East. For instance, the US war on Iraq was attributed to terrorism, as one of the main motivations for the war. The fact that millions of unjustified deaths resulted from the war illustrates the problems that face the Middle East. Terrorism is an example of an issue with several examples that have been linked to the Middle East. For example, the 9/11 terror attacks within the US were linked to terror groups from the Middle East.3 Terror is an example of an issue which has challenged the intentions of Arabs to explore opportunities, such as education and employment, in the west. Economic problems or challenges within the Middle East also have terrorism to blame. It is evident from these illustrations that it is the example of terrorism, which influenced my critical thinking about the social economic problems that face people in the Middle East and their causes. Terrorism is an example of an issue that is linked to the Middle East, which caused me to think about ways through which the challenges that face the region can be overcome. The natural gas and petroleum resources within the Middle East are examples that depict the opportunities that are open to the region. These opportunities would enable the region to grow its social, economic and technological landscapes. These examples enabled me to engage in critical thinking about how the political, social and cultural influence of the Middle East on the rest of the world is possible. For instance, I critically thought about how the economic power of the Middle East, through its natural gas and petroleum resources, would allow the region to have military and political power across the world. These resources also depict the opportunities of employment, which are open to people within the Middle East. Furthermore, these natural gas and petroleum are likely to attract foreign companies for investment opportunities within the region, which would promote its development. On the other hand, I related the gas and petroleum resources with the attempts of the western states, such as the USA, to influence the political and military climate in the Middle East. This is depicted by the fact that the US war on the Middle East and terror is argued to be a strategy of controlling these resources. This would cause problems within the Middle East and its relationships with the world. Western states seem to have contributed to the problems that currently face the region. During my critical thinking processes, I realized that the interest of the western countries on the Middle East is solely motivated by the need to control natural gas and oil resources. Mutual Understanding between America and the Middle East During my research and learning processes, I found out that social cultural, political and economic partnership is the most effective strategy that mutual understanding between America and the Middle East can be made possible.4 I learned that the relationship between the region and America has been tarnished by terror activities and the wars the US has staged against countries in the region. My research finding on mutual undemanding between Americans and people from the Middle East was directed towards, social cultural, economic and political collaborations and partnerships. If the American government and the governments of states from the Middle East expanded partnership opportunities and engagements in the social cultural environments, a diverse population will characterize the region and America, leading to mutual understanding among their people. Enhanced trade partnerships will promote the enactment of trade regulations and policies, which promote the mutual contact between the Americans and people from the Middle East. Fear among expatriates in America and the Middle East would be overcome. The issue of discrimination will also be overcome through such partnerships. This would result into a mutual existence among people from the Middle East and Americans. Even though these partnerships exist, I found out that there are some restrictions, which limit relationships between people from the Middle East and Americans. It is therefore the role of stakeholders from the region and America to ensure that collaborative efforts in commerce are promoted. Political partnerships would also be used to enhance democracy in the region. It is argued that democracy would contribute positively towards overcoming the problem of terrorism and its negative implications on the relationships between Americans and people from the Middle East. Through political partnerships, the autocratic rules, which characterize some countries in the region, such as Yemen, would be overcome. In return the American foreign policy on the region will be more favorable. This would promote the manner in which the region relates with America. In line within this finding, it is important to note that it is the role of political leaders from the region and America to collaborate in promoting effective political systems that are meant to enhance relationships among their people. Improved opinions and change of attitudes would play a significant role in promoting mutual understanding among Americans and people from the Middle East. It is because of this that I consider partnerships within the social cultural, economic and political landscapes as the top strategy of enhancing relationships between the region and America. I believe that if Americans have positive attitudes about Muslims and other communities from the Middle East, their relationships with people from the region will be enhanced. Currently the opinions of Americans on Arabs have been tarnished by the stereotyping and association of terrorism with Arabs. Partnerships will play a role in changing this attitudes and enhancing mutual understanding. Read More