“Some American Women May Perceive Us as Terrorists by the Compulsion of Our Bearded Husbands”: Education and the Breaking of Stereotypes

This article reports the results of in-depth interviews with six Arab Israeli women and six American women college students, in order to understand the stereotypes, they hold about each other, and to suggest ways of breaking down these stereotypes. The American women imagined their Arab counterparts as wearing a hijab and having restricted freedom and opportunities. The Arab women imagined the Americans as being overly liberal and having no restrictions on their life choices. All the women were aware that the stereotypes they hold come largely from the media and social media. Educational approaches to breaking down stereotypes are suggested.