AMST 325 Final

Anti-Muslim Racism

a shorthand for inter-personal media and state-based targeting of persons who are Muslim or perceived to be Muslim based on the assumption that Muslims are enemies of and threats to the U.S.

Benevolent Supremacy

ruling others through generosity and kindness while representing the U.S. as leading the world into democracy and freedom

Binary Opposition

a cultural logic that constructs meaning through opposite and hierarchical categories such as West/East or civilized/barbaric

The Bush Doctrine

the post-9/11 doctrine claiming the U.S. has the right to use military force against actual or potential threats to promote democracy globally

Clash of Civilizations

the idea that irreconcilable cultural differences between the West and Islam will inevitably lead to conflict

Colonialism

the extension of a nation’s power over territories beyond its borders through direct rule or displacement of indigenous populations

Commodification

the process by which ideas or objects become commodities that can be bought, sold or exchanged

Counter-hegemony

forces that challenge dominant systems of meaning and power in society

Crisis Diversity

crisis moments that expose racism and temporarily push institutions toward diversity initiatives

Diversity Compromise

making limited diversity changes to avoid controversy without changing underlying systems

Cultural Appropriation

when members of a dominant culture adopt elements of a minority culture

Discourse

a system of representation through language

Eating the Other

the commodification and consumption of racial difference for pleasure

Essentialism

the belief that all members of a group share an unchanging essence or set of traits

Ethnocentrism

the belief that one’s own culture or nation is superior to others

Exoticism

depicting the Other as fascinating, erotic or exciting rather than repulsive

Eurocentrism

viewing other cultures through the lens of European superiority

First Cinema

Hollywood-produced cinema intended mainly for entertainment and profit without radical intent

The Good Fight

the representation of Israel as fighting a morally just war which shaped U.S. foreign policy attitudes

Cultural Hegemony

the dominance of one group’s economic, political and cultural values as common sense

Ideology

a set of ideas, beliefs or values that shape how people understand society

Ideological Work/Production of Common Sense

the process through which institutions like media shape what society accepts as common sense

Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs)

institutions like schools, media, family and religion that function through ideology

Imperial Stewardship

the belief that the U.S. is uniquely suited to manage global resources and heritage for the world

Interpellation

the process by which individuals internalize and identify with ideology

The Islamophobia Industry

networks of groups and individuals who profit from spreading anti-Muslim prejudice

Military Multiculturalism

the portrayal of the U.S. military as diverse and multicultural to justify global intervention

Monolithic

represented as singular, uniform and all the same

Naturalized

when an ideology becomes accepted as normal and common sense

Orientalism

the Western depiction of Eastern and Middle Eastern cultures as exotic, backward and barbaric

Patriotic Muslim

a Muslim representation that emphasizes loyalty to the U.S. to counter stereotypes of terrorism

Primitivism

romanticizing indigenous people as naturally pure or simple

Racism

the assigning of value to real or imagined differences to justify privilege or aggression

Overt Racism

openly racist arguments or policies

Covert or Inferential Racism

subtle racism embedded in assumptions and representations

Repressive State Apparatus (RSA)

institutions like the military, police and prisons that function through force or repression

Repertory of Images

a collection of repeated images that reinforce similar meanings and stereotypes

Secular Muslim

a Muslim represented as nonreligious or culturally Muslim rather than practicing

Simplified Complex Representations

strategies that make representations seem nuanced while still relying on stereotypes

Stereotype-confined Expansions

expanded representations that remain limited by the stereotypes they respond to

The Other

the symbolic opposite of the dominant or normative group

Third Cinema

a movement using film for anti-colonial struggle and national liberation

Transcoding

reappropriating an existing meaning and giving it a new meaning

Truth/Knowledge and Power

the idea that truth and knowledge are shaped by power structures in society

Trope

a repeated theme, symbol or storyline within media or discourse

Tropes of Empire

repeated colonial themes that support imperialism and Eurocentrism

Animalization

depicting the Other as wild, savage or beast-like

Naturalization

reducing cultural differences to biological or natural traits

Infantilization

representing the Other as childlike or underdeveloped

Adams in the Virgin Land

depicting colonized lands as empty, uncivilized and available for conquest

Mapping Terra Incognita

the mastering and mapping of unknown territory through exploration

Excavating the Dark Continent

unveiling mysterious cultures for Western understanding and control

Mummies and Egyptology

stories where Western archaeology rescues ancient civilizations and displays them in Western museums

Rape and Rescue Fantasy

narratives where white men rescue women or lands from dark men and position the West as hero

The Imaginary of the Harem

the fantasy of access to forbidden sexual spaces that affirm white male power

The Desert Odyssey

the depiction of the Middle East as a vast desert space of adventure, fantasy and identity experimentation

Vietnam Syndrome

the belief that the Vietnam War created a sense of defeat and declining American power