Arab and Muslim Political Attitudes: Stereotypes and Evidence from Survey Research

In the US, political attitudes about Arabs & Muslims post-September 11 (2001) have been greatly shaped by the notion of a "clash of civilizations" such as has been proffered by Samuel Huntington & espoused by Christian conservatives. Here, survey results from Arab & Islamic countries are examined with an eye toward discerning the political attitudes & values of ordinary men & women. While many Arabs & Muslims do hold negative views about the US, & a sizable minority feel the attacks of September 11 were justified, much of the survey research indicates that Western stereotypes about the relation of religiosity to politics & overall hostility to all things American -- from popular culture to democracy -- are unfounded. 4 Figures. K. Coddon