 www.araustralia.org |
Alternative Radio (Aust.) PO Box 780 Morwell Victoria 3848 Australia tel. 61-3-5134-8556 mob. 61-413-597-828 inquiries@araustralia.org |
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www.araustralia.org |
Alternative Radio (Aust.) PO Box 780 Morwell Victoria 3848 Australia tel. 61-3-5134-8556 mob. 61-413-597-828 inquiries@araustralia.org |
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Hollywood is good at stereotypes. Simple struggles of good versus evil, heroes against villains, can be a safe bet for box office success. Those stereotypes can have strong impact in the real world. Film is a powerful force for shaping our imagination and our perception of reality. For decades, one of Hollywood's favourite villains has been the Arab. Dirty, mean, greedy and stupid but lethal-the Arab film stereotype persists, even as other film clichés fall by the wayside. When was the last time you saw a positive and realistic portrayal of an Arab in a Hollywood film?
Jack Shaheen is the author of Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People. He's Professor Emeritus of Mass Communications at Southern Illinois University and a former CBS News consultant on the Middle East. He is regarded as one of the foremost authorities on media images of Arabs.
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