Print• http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/jc50.2008/reelB

adArabs/index.html

• Story info sheet

• http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/9/24/faith-based-communityinitiativesstatedepartment.html

• http://www.adc.org/education/arab-stereotypes-and-american-educators/

Author Intent• Every author, translator, or writer has

an agenda• Language, detail, setting,

characterization, and translation is precise and purposeful

• Intent is transmitted through mood and toneo Mood = the way the reader feels when reading a

storyo Tone = the author’s feelings about the

characters/story they have created

Interpretation of Arab Culture

• View clips of Aladdin and reflect on what you see and hear• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkiITQnrAYM• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcTC7RkmHac

How are the following portrayed?Women – tradition – character stereotypes – conflict

• An analysis of Disney and Orientalism:• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLdzx9-H8Wg

• Documentary:• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdRc8c8jhU8

Wednesday:

Orientalismhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwCOSkXR_Cw&feature=related

Watch youtube video and write down what you believe “orientalism” is.

Orientalism definition:A system (of texts, movies, images, etc)

which together reinforce a way of understanding the Middle East through a very Eurocentric lens, though which the “other” is exoticized in inaccurate

and ahistorical ways

Why do we have a preconceived notion of these people?

Stereotyping, Prejudice, and Discrimination

• Prejudice: A thought that may be adopted about specific types of individuals or certain ways of doing things, but the belief may or may not accurately reflect reality.

• Prejudice: Making a decision before becoming aware of relevant facts; unfounded beliefs; unreasonable attitude that is unusually resistant to rational influence; feeling unfavorable toward a person or thing prior to actual experience

• Discrimination: Distinguishing treatment of an individual based on their actual or perceived membership in a certain group or category; restriction and exclusion

Prejudicial Side Effects

o Justification of ill-founded prejudices or ignorance

oUnwillingness to rethink one’s attitudes and behavior toward stereotyped groups

o Preventing some people of stereotyped groups from entering or succeeding in activities or fields

Beginnings of Orientalism

• Roots in British and French colonial efforts of the 18th and 19th centuries

• Influenced by art and literature• Travel writers and artists fabricated imagery that

were transmitted and inherited by Westerners• After World War II:

o Palestinian/Israeli Conflict: Israel supporto Arab Oil Embargo: angry Americans when gas prices

explodedo Iranian revolution: Increase Arab-American tensions

when hostages were taken for more than a year

Features of Orientalism

• People from East (Asia, Middle East, and sometimes Russia)o Weako Feminineo Culturally backwardo Shifty and untrustworthyo Exotico Seductiveo Unchangingo Biologically inferior to Westernerso Eager to be dominatedo Silenced (by extremists, oppressive governments, and the

veiling of women)

Group Readings• Each group will be assigned part of an

article to read

• Summarize your article in a paragraph and be prepared to share the summary with your classmates

• Why did Edward Said find it necessary to develop the concept of Orientalism?

• When you think of The Arabian Nights, what images of the Middle East come to mind?

• Where do these images come from?• What are the images from the stories you have read

so far that conform to the stereotypes of Orientalism? Which images contradict these stereotypes?

• Is there such a thing as a “good stereotype?”• Based on the translation discussion from Unit 1, how

do various translations of the Nights support or undermine stereotypes?

• Consider Orientalism in reverse. If a non-Westerner came up with a perspective on the West based on fairy tales, what might it look like?

• Is it possible not to be affected by stereotypes? How can we resist them?

• http://www.unc.edu/depts/europe/francophone/1001_nights/1001_eng/multimedia.htm

o Barbie controversey

o http://books.google.com/books?id=e1mu8uHn-I4C&pg=PA17&lpg=PA17&dq=story+of+the+merchant+and+demon+1001+nights&source=bl&ots=G5oCBGgf0r&sig=ZDlVtv_Mjsb-2K4HE7hV6BWP730&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NDtCUpurJqvc4AO094DQBQ&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=story%20of%20the%20merchant%20and%20demon%201001%20nights&f=false

o Merhant and demon story