The Image of the East in American Films A Book The offensive photo of Arabs by Jack Shaheen is an example

Abstract

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, the West expanded its Oriental studies
focusing on the East and Islam, dedicating a significant number of experts to understand
the region in order to control it. What distinguishes new Oriental studies is that they have

become a new cultural ideology aimed at rehabilitating classical Orientalist assertions as
practices in various knowledge fields, such as media, cinema, and publishing.
Most Arab and Islamic thinkers have noticed these recent expansionist and hostile
tendencies directed at the nation under various cultural, economic, and humanitarian
pretexts. They have resisted these Orientalist practices that undermine Islam and Arabs.
Among them is the book “The Negative Portrayal of Arabs” in American Cinema" by Jack
Shaheen, who studied and analyzed approximately 900 American films. We relied on it as
a model to criticize Orientalism in American cinematic discourse because it highlights the
role of American films in shaping and reinforcing the stereotypical image of Arabs and the
East in Hollywood films. We selected some films that portrayed negatively Arabs and
Muslims, such as "Lawrence of Arabs," "The Siege," "Rules of Engagement," and "Arabian
Nights”, among others.