Study 2:
Title: "Filming the Modern Middle East: Politics in the Cinemas of Hollywood and
the Arab World"
Author: Lina Khatib (Review by Refqa Abu-Remaileh)
Date: 2006
Research Focus:
This study compares the representation of the Middle East in 70 films from
Hollywood and the Arab world (1980–2005). It examines how both film traditions
engage with political themes and constructs, highlighting differences and
commonalities in their portrayals.
Objectives:
1. To explore how Hollywood films depict the Middle East and Arabs, focusing
on American intervention narratives.
2. To analyze Arab cinema’s portrayal of its politics and crises.
3. To assess the use of gender, space, and conflict in constructing national
identities in both traditions.
Methodology:
Builds on Edward Said’s Orientalism and Jack Shaheen’s media critiques.
Employs postcolonial theories to evaluate filmic narratives.
Compares thematic elements such as gender roles, nationalism, and the
representation of conflict across the selected films.
Findings:
1. Hollywood’s depictions often essentialize Arabs as "Others," portraying
them as terrorists or corrupt figures, while Arab cinema presents nuanced,
individualized experiences.
2. Gender roles in both traditions strengthen national identities but also
perpetuate stereotypes—Hollywood demonizes Arab masculinity, while
Arab films objectify women.
3. The analysis underscores the challenges of comparing distinct cinematic
traditions and their representations of self and other.