Do All Arabs Really Look Alike? Prejudice and the U.S. 'War' on Terror

11 Pages Posted: 2 Mar 2021

See all articles by Leila N. Sadat

Leila N. Sadat

Washington University in St. Louis - School of Law; Yale Law School

Abstract

This timely Article draws attention to disparate treatment of Arabs and Muslims as compared to other ethnic and religious minorities. It analyses multiple statements by prominent public figures, which illustrate both a hostility to, and an ignorance of, Muslims. This results in draconian measures against Muslims based in prejudicial assumptions, such as Guantanamo Bay and racial profiling at airports. These measures in turn lead to poor policy outcomes for the United States by exacerbating distrust of the United States in the Arab world. The Article calls for a shift in public discourse, as well as a realignment of domestic and international policy, to focus on treating Muslims as people rather than as a collective.

Keywords: Guantanamo Bay; Islam; Arab; Muslims; public policy; war against terror; discrimination; racial profiling; terrorism; islamophobia; international law

Suggested Citation

Sadat, Leila N., Do All Arabs Really Look Alike? Prejudice and the U.S. 'War' on Terror. Wayne Law Review, Vol. 50, No. 69, 2004, Washington University in St. Louis Legal Studies Research Paper No. 21-02-02, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3796370

Leila N. Sadat (Contact Author)

Washington University in St. Louis - School of Law ( email )

Campus Box 1120
St. Louis, MO 63130
United States
314-935-6411 (Phone)
314-935-5356 (Fax)

Yale Law School ( email )

127 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06510
United States
3143042757 (Phone)

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