Hollywood, American Politics, and Terrorism: When Art Turns into a Political Tool

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Arab Studies Quarterly

Volume 43, Issue 1

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Hollywood, American Politics, and Terrorism: When Art Turns into a Political Tool

research-article

Author(s): Ali Serdouk

Publication date (Print): 1 January 2021

Journal: Arab Studies Quarterly

Publisher: Pluto Journals

Keywords: Hollywood, U.S. government, American politics, terrorism, films, Arabs, Muslims, stereotypes

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Abstract

Since Sirocco, a 1951 film, the United States' cinema, Hollywood, has produced many terrorism films that have portrayed Arabs and Muslims unjustly as “terrorists.” After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Hollywood's projection of prejudice and negative stereotypes of the Arabs and Muslims have been fostered. The post-9/11 period was an era in which the White House, the Pentagon, and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) contributed directly and indirectly to the production of several terrorism films. In Zero Dark Thirty, gifts were offered to some CIA agents in order to obtain classified information and various accesses. In Iron Man, funding and resources were provided, a green light was given, and strict regulations were imposed by the Pentagon to portray the military in a positive light. In Syriana, a CIA agent had a friendly relationship with the film screenwriter, and much of the film events were inspired by the agent's personal experiences. The post-9/11 films have been used to spread stereotyped demeaning images of the Arabs and Muslims and perpetuated a constant distortion of Muslim communities. They have therefore severely targeted Muslims and depicted them as murderers and criminals, who express the feeling of hatred towards Western civilization.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (doi): 10.2307/j50005550

Journal ID (jcode): arabstudquar

Title: Arab Studies Quarterly

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN: 0271-3519

ISSN: 2043-6920

Publication date (Print): 1 January 2021

Volume: 43

Issue: 1 ( doiID: 10.13169/arabstudquar.43.issue-1 )

Pages: 26-37

Article

Publisher ID: arabstudquar.43.1.0026

DOI: 10.13169/arabstudquar.43.1.0026

SO-VID: c1c56ed6-91d9-4137-a7f5-6181ff4f92b7

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

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lang eng

ScienceOpen disciplines: Social & Behavioral Sciences

Keywords: Muslims,stereotypes,Arabs,U.S. government,American politics,films,Hollywood,terrorism

Bibliography

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Comment on this article

[1] Al-Alousi, S. (2012). Aleunf Wawasayil Al'iielam (Violence and Media). Amman: Dar 'Usama.

[2] Al-Ani, A. W. (2013). Al'iielam Wadawrih fi Muealajat Dahirat Al'iirhab Walmawqif min Almuqawama (Media and its Role in Dealing with the Phenomenon of Terrorism and the Attitude Towards the Resistance). Amman: Dar Alhamid.

[3] Alford, M., & Graham, R. (2008, November 14). An Offer They Couldn't Refuse. Retrieved from The Guardian www.theguardian.com/film/2008/nov/14/thriller-ridley-scott, (accessed 03/01/20).

[4] Alford, M. (2017, September 3). Washington DC's role behind the scenes in Hollywood goes deeper than you think. Retrieved from the Independent www.independent.co.uk/voices/hollywood-cia-washington-dc-films-fbi-24-intervening-close-relationship-a7918191.html, (accessed 14/02/20).

[5] Anderer, J. (2019, December 02). Survey: The Average Person Will Watch More Than 78,000 Hours Of TV. Retrieved from Study Finds www.studyfinds.org/survey-the-average-adult-will-watch-more-than-78000-hours-of-tv/. (accessed 10/12/19).

[6] Baron, R. (2019, March 16). The MCU's Relationship With the Military, From Iron Man to Captain Marvel. Retrieved from CBR: www.cbr.com/captain-marvel-mcu-military-relationship/, (accessed 01/01/20).

[7] Bates, D. (2012, August 29). ‘We're so excited’: Secret emails reveal how Obama backed bin Laden film to help win reelection. Retrieved from Daily Mail www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2195346/Zero-Dark-Thirty-Secret-emails-reveal-Obama-backed-bin-Laden-film-help-win-reelection.html, (accessed 12/10/19).

[8] Descours, G. (2016, Octobre 4). Le Pentagone a déboursé des millions de dollars pour de fausses vidéos djihadistes. Récupéré sur www.lefigaro.fr/international/2016/10/04/01003-20161004ART-FIG00094-etats-unis-le-pentagone-a-debourse-des-millions-de-dollars-pour-de-fausses-videos-djihadistes.php, (accessed 23/08/19).

[9] Graham, R., & Alford, M. (2019, May 25). Lights, Camera … Covert Action: The Deep Politics of Hollywood. Retrieved from Global Research www.globalresearch.ca/lights-camera-covert-action-the-deep-politics-of-hollywood/11921, (accessed 23/08/19).

[10] Gus, M. (2008). Essentials of Terrorism: Concepts and Controversies. California: SAGE Publications.

[11] Hammer, R., & Kellner, D. (2009). Media/Cultural Studies: Critical Approaches. New York: Peter Lang.

[12] Henderson, K., & Leopold, J. (2015, September 9). Tequila, Painted Pearls, and Prada: How the CIA Helped Produce ‘Zero Dark Thirty‘. Retrieved from Vice www.vice.com/en_us/article/xw3ypa/tequila-painted-pearls-and-prada-how-the-cia-helped-produce-zero-dark-thirty, (accessed 09/12/19).

[13] Henningsen, P. (2013, February 25). Hollywood History: CIA Sponsored “Zero Dark Thirt”: Oscar for “Best Propaganda Picture”. Retrieved from www.globalresearch.ca/hollywood-history-cia-sponsored-zero-dark-thirty-oscar-for-best-propaganda-picture/5324190, (accessed 09/12/19).

[14] Ibrahim, B., Al-Khuzai, Z., Ashwika, M., Frodon, J., Quilty, J., Jarjoura, N., … Waddah, S. (2010). Al'iirhab wa Alsiynama: Jadaliyat Alalaqa wa'Iimkanat Altawdif (Terrorism and Cinema: The Dialectical Relationship and Employment Potential). Beirut: Madarik.

[15] Leopold, J. (2016, Juin 24). Vers la fin des petits arrangements entre Hollywood et la CIA ? Récupéré sur Vice www.vice.com/fr/article/7xaape/vers-la-fin-des-petits-arrangements-entre-hollywood-et-la-cia, (accessed 11/09/19).

[16] Lévesque, J. (2016, Octobre 4). La propagande hollywoodienne et la CIA. Récupéré sur Mondialisation http://reseauinternational.net/la-propagande-hollywoodienne-et-la-cia/, (accessed 13/09/19).

[17] MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America). (2018). A Comprehensive Analysis and Survey of the Theatrical and Home Entertainment Market Environment (THEME) for 2018. (T. M. (MPAA), Ed.) Retrieved from www.mpaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/MPAA-THEME-Report-2018.pdf, (accessed 05/05/19).

[18] Nassar, A. (2008). AIiedad Li Albaramij Alwathayiqia (Preparing Documentary Programs). Amman: Dar Almanahij.

[19] Pallaruelo, O. (2010, Juillet 12). James Cameron Touche le Jackpot Grâce à “Avatar”. Récupéré sur www.allocine.fr/article/fichearticle_gen_carticle=18596230.html, (accessed 22/12/18).

[20] Rousse-Marquet, J. (2013, Janvier 29). 2012: Un Cinéma Américain en Grande Forme. Récupéré sur www.inaglobal.fr/cinema/article/2012-un-cinema-americain-en-grande-forme, (accessed 20/04/19).

[21] Said, E. (1995). Orientalism. New Delhi: Penguin Books India.

[22] Schou, N. (2016, July 14). How the CIA Hoodwinked Hollywood. Retrieved from www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/07/operation-tinseltown-how-the-cia-manipulates-hollywood/491138/, (accessed 03/01/20).

[23] Shaheen, J. (2003, July). Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 588 (1), 171–193.

[24] Siegel, R. (2005, December 6). Ex-CIA Agent Robert Baer, Inspiration for ‘Syriana‘. Retrieved from www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5041385, (accessed 14/02/20).

[25] Signorielli, N., & Gerbner, G. (1988). Violence and Terror in the Mass Media: An Annotated Bibliography. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press.

[26] Sion, A. (2004). Volition and Allied Causal Concepts. Geneva: Avi Sion.

[27] Suleiman, M. (2000). Surat Alarab fi Euqul al'Amrikiiyn (Arabs Image in the Americans Minds). Beirut: Markaz Dirasat Alwihda Alarabia.

[28] Valenti, J. (1996, September 06). It's Lights, Camera, Politics. Retrieved from Los Angeles Times www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-09-06-me-41045-story.html , (accessed 16/05/20).

[29] Wadean Aldaeja, H. (2008). Al'iielam Wal'Iirhab (Media and Terrorism). Al'iirhab fi Alasr Alraqamii (Terrorism in the Digital Age) (pp. 6–26). Ma'an: Al-Hussein Bin Talal University.