Contributor: Brian Anthony. Lesson ID: 12152
What is your ethnicity? Do people (including you) have certain impressions and even concerns about your people? Investigate the Arab and Muslim people and learn the importance of cultural identity!
After the events of 11 September 2001 in America, a lot of mistrust and misinformation was spread about the Arab people.
Watch this 2011 video on these stereotypes.
The events of the past few decades have made the Arabs one of the most well-known ethnic groups in the world.
Well, they are well-known but, in many ways, barely understood. To learn more about the Arabs, it would be useful to know who they are.
As with many ethnic groups, there is no easy answer.
Read this encyclopedia entry on the meaning of the word Arab. As you read, write down answers to the following questions.
Now, read these Facts about Arabs and the Arab World.
Reflect on the following questions.
The question of ethnicity is complicated, mainly because ethnicity is made up of a whole bunch of different parts, including language, culture, religion, and other things. Many times, the Arabs are confused with Muslims.
As you will discover in the Got It? section, most Arabs are Muslim, but most Muslims are not Arab!