ARAB AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

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ARAB AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
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OVERVIEW

• Definition of an Arab American
• Identify Arab American Demographics
• Arab American immigration
• Arab American cultural norms
• Identify the five pillars of Islam
• Definition of Muslim
• Sources of Anti-Arab sentiment in the U.S.
• Contemporary Arab American Issues

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DEFINITION
ARAB AMERICAN is the term given to persons who
immigrated to the United States from a group of
independent nation-states in North Africa and
the Middle East. They have a common linguistic
and cultural heritage that has been shaped
primarily by the religions of Islam and
Christianity.
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ARAB AMERICAN DEMOGRAPHICS

• Population
• Over 3 million, some estimate nearly 5 million
• Religious Affiliation
• majority (70) have a Christian affiliation
• Muslim/Islamic affiliation (30)
• Geographic Distribution
• the areas where the majority have settled
  includes
• New York, Los Angles, San Francisco, Detroit,
  Washington DC, Houston, Chicago, and Jacksonville

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ARAB AMERICAN IMMIGRATION

• Early Immigration (1886-1914)
• Between World War I and World War II (1915-1945)
• The later immigration period

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EARLY IMMIGRATION PERIOD (1886-1914)

• A majority of Arab immigrants came from greater
  Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, and
  occasionally Iraq.
• Reasons for immigration included, a neglect for
  the Christian religion, the draft, a bloody war
  between religions, and the fact that American
  Christian missionaries were active among the
  Syrian Christians who built hospitals, schools
  and churches which left a favorable impression on
  America. Many eventually lost their Islamic
  Identity as time went by.
• Most of these immigrants were poor, uneducated,
  and looking for new opportunities. They had a big
  distaste for indoor factory work, many chose door
  to door peddling and often made sufficient money
  to send for family members. There were many
  working as slaves on plantations. Eventually many
  opened MOM and POP type stores.

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BETWEEN WWI AND WWII (1915-1945)

• During this period, The United States Congress
  passed legislation that restricted immigration.
  These laws had an effect of slowing the movement
  of Arab Americans into the country

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THE LATER IMMIGRATION PERIOD (1946 -)

• Most of these Arab immigrants came from Egypt,
  Iran, and Palestine .
• Major reason for immigration was to study in our
  universities and many decided to stay .
• Most of these immigrants were largely educated,
  professional, and of the Muslim faith. Most of
  this group has been able to retain more of their
  culture and religion unlike the earlier
  immigrants.
• While the earlier immigrants found it easier and
  desirable to fully assimilate into the American
  mainstream, the newer arrivals seem more prone to
  retain their Arab culture.

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ARAB AMERICAN CULTURAL NORMS

• Values and beliefs
• Basic Arab self-perceptions
• Concept of Friendship
• Concept of Fatalism
• Men and Women
• Status of Women
• Social Class System
• Role of the Family

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VALUES AND BELIEFS

• Basic Arab Values
• Dignity, Honor, and reputation are of paramount
  importance to an Arab. Typically an Arab will
  deport himself/herself in such a way as to create
  a good impression.
• Loyalty to the family takes precedence over all
  personal needs
• Piety (devotion to religion) is one of the most
  admirable characteristics.
• There is no separation between church and state
  in many Arab Nations. Religion is taught in
  schools and promoted by the Government.
• Religion is a way of life in both waves of
  immigration

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BASIC ARAB SELF-PERCEPTIONS

• Arabs are generous, humanitarian, polite, and
  loyal.
• Have a rich cultural heritage.
• Clearly defined cultural group i.e., Arab
  Nation.
• Have been victimized by the West.
• Arabs are misunderstood in the West.

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CONCEPT OF FRIENDSHIP

• Concept of save face, let the other party find
  their own way out of a situation
• You should never refuse a request from a friend
• Introductions
• social status is discussed at some length
• social connections are very important
• interested in family background and social
  connections before decision to become friends
• Business Relationships
• a good personal relationship is the most
  important single factor in doing business with
  Arabs, Americans traditionally want to get right
  down to business. This style will not bring
  success

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CONCEPT OF FRIENDSHIP cont...

• Criticism
• Forthright criticism is always almost taken as
  personal and destructive
• It is important to avoid direct and frank
  criticism.
• Tact must be employed to protect the other
  persons public image, and avoid insult

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CONCEPT OF FATALISM

• In the West we generally believe humans have the
  right to control their environment and their
  destiny.
• Arabs do not believe in this Ideology.
• In fact, too much self-confidence may be
  interpreted as blasphemy.
• This can sometimes enable Arabs to assert when
  they fail that they were not at fault - rather,
  it was Gods will

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MEN AND WOMEN

• Accuracy of statements concerning the
  relationship between men and women will vary
  based on the country discussed. Saudi Arabia is
  the most conservative
• As a general rule women interact freely only with
  other women and very close male relatives. Women
  and men are never alone together even for a short
  period of time
• As a foreigner, if you are seen to be too
  familiar with someone of the opposite sex you
  will lose respect.

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MEN AND WOMEN cont...

• The public display of intimacy between men and
  women is strictly forbidden by the Arab social
  code
• This code also applies to husbands and wives
• The maintenance of family honor is one of the
  highest values in Arab society.
• In Arab cultures, misbehavior by women can do
  more damage to family honor than misbehavior by
  men

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THE STATUS OF WOMEN

• Statements here vary in applicability depending
  on the country involved. For instance, in
  Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt, educated women have
  been very active at all levels of society.
• In the Persian Gulf States, most women do not
  work. Those who do, work only in all-female
  environments such as schools and banks for women,
  except those in the medical profession
• Some changes in the work aspect are changing
• Typically, women's focus is in the house
• Traditionally-oriented men and women dont see
  prevailing customs as restrictive-rather as
  protection
• Western women are allowed some leeway

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SOCIAL CLASS SYSTEM

• Four basic social classes in the Arab world
• Upper class Royalty and Wealthy
• Middle class Govt.. workers, military officers,
  teachers and merchants
• Lower class peasant farmers, urban and village
  poor
• Nomadic Bedouins typically admired for
  preserving Arab traditions, move from place to
  place
• Western foreigners are usually considered upper
• Not much tension between classes due to Arabs
  seeing their position determines by fate (Allah)
• Upper class do not perform manual labor in
  public, and do not socialize with lower class

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THE ROLE OF THE FAMILY

• Family loyalty and obligation take precedence
  over loyalty to friends or the demand of a job
• Family is seen as a persons ultimate refuge
• In all cases, one must defend the honor of family
  members, even if you hate them or think they are
  wrong
• Arab man head of the household
• Wife operates behind the scenes
• Children are taught profound respect for adults

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THE ROLE OF THE FAMILY cont..

• Marriage
• Most Arabs still prefer arranged marriages
• This is done to keep dowry within the family
• The family always plays a major role in the
  decision of any member to wed
• Polygamy
• is becoming rare
• can be married to more than one women, but
  everyone is equal, no one gets anymore than the
  other
• Divorce
• Is very controlled, must pay substantially to the
  wife, must be asked three times in a public
  place w/witnesses

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RELIGION AND SOCIETY

• Religious toleration
• Arabs truly believe in religion
• Do not have any tolerance for atheists or
  agnostics
• People of the book
• Mohammed is believed to be the last in a long
  line of prophets sent from God which includes
  Jesus
• Respect other prophets as well
• Respect all faiths

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RELIGION AND SOCIETY cont..

• Koran
• Contains many of the same stories as the Bible
• Actual word of God given to Mohammed
• Two main sects of Islam are the Sunnis and the
  Shiite
• Most Muslim Arabs belong to the Sunni sect

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THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

• These are the five basic tenets of the Islamic
  faith
• 1. FAITH There is only one God and Mohammed is
  the messenger of God
• 2. PRAYER Prayer five times a day
• 3. THE ZAKAT Giving charity to poor 2.5 yearly
• 4. THE FAST Fasting during the month of Ramadan.
  Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar
  calendar. During Ramadan, Moslems do not eat,
  drink, or smoke between sunrise and sunset.
  Purpose is to experience hunger and deprivation
  and to perform acts of self-discipline, humility,
  and faith
• 5. PILGRIMAGE to Mecca at least once during ones
  lifetime if it is not a financial hardship

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DEFINITION OF MUSLIM

• Islam is not a new religion, both a religion and
  a way of life
• The word Islam means submission and derives from
  a word meaning peace
• Allah is the Arabic name for God
• Islam and Christianity have the same origins ,
  with Judaism they go back to the prophet Abraham
  and their three prophets who are directly
  descended from his sons Mohammed from the eldest,
  Ishmael, Moses, and Jesus from Isaac

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MUSLIM cont..

• Muslims believe in
• In one unique, incomparable God
• In the angels created by him
• In the prophets through whom his revelations were
  brought
• In the day of judgement and individual
  accountability for actions
• In Gods complete authority over human destiny and
  in life after death
• Gods final message to man was revealed to the
  prophet Mohammed through Gabriel

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MUSLIM cont..

• Fatalism belief or attitude that events are
  fixed in advance for all time in such a manner
  that human beings are powerless to change them
• May become Muslim by simply saying there is no
  God apart from God, and Mohammed is the messenger
  of God.
• Koran
• Record of exact words revealed by God through the
  Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Mohammed. Memorized
  by Mohammed and dictated to his companions. Not
  one word of its 114 chapters has been changed
  over the last 14 centuries

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MUSLIM cont..

• The Koran is the last revealed word of God, and
  is the primary source of every Muslims faith and
  practice
• Muslims respect and revere Jesus, and await his
  second coming
• Muslims forbid the consumption of pig meat or any
  kind of intoxicating drink

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ANTI ARAB SENTIMENT IN THE U. S.

• Political violence
• Extremists perceive their actions to be part of
  the wider Arab-Israeli conflict with the struggle
  against the enemies of Israel and the Jewish
  people as a whole. Actions are ideologically
  motivated and premeditated.
• Xenophobia
• (pertaining to Arab Americans) Locally inspired
  hostility and violence toward Arab Americans,
  Muslims, and Middle Easterners and their
  institutions
• Jingoistic Racism
• A blend of knee jerk patriotism and home grown
  white racism toward non-European, non-Christian,
  dark skinned peoples, which is normally
  premeditated

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CONTEMPORARY ARAB AMERICAN ISSUES

• Targeted in airports/bombings
• Arab-Israeli conflict
• Of all the issues considered, this is the most
  important
• Perception that Arab Americans only support a
  Palestine homeland and do not care about Israel
• American role in the Middle East
• Most Arab Americans feel the U.S. should continue
  to use political influence to resolve issues in
  the Middle East
• Kuwait
• Arab Americans are in favor of the future
  democracy of the Kuwaiti Government and for other
  Arab states as well

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CONTEMPORARY ARAB AMERICAN ISSUES cont..

• Discrimination in the U.S.
• The biggest concern of Arab Americans is the
  feeling, as a whole, they are being discriminated
  against because of the perception that terrorists
  are only Arabs. They feel they are receiving the
  backlash of terrorism and of hostage taking

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SUMMARY

• Definition of an Arab American
• Identify Arab American Demographics
• Arab American immigration
• Arab American cultural norms
• Identify the five pillars of Islam
• Definition of Muslim
• Sources of Anti-Arab sentiment in the U.S.
• Contemporary Arab American Issues