How Westerners Describe and Treat other Peoples
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According to Jasmin Zine, it is possible for state citizens not to belong to the state, as they can be described as foreign or subaltern citizens (Zine, 148). This is often the case of Muslim people, presented as being inherently violent and hateful toward the West. In countries like France, where the veil is banned in schools, Muslim girls and women are perceived as a threat to secularism thus to French politics (Zine, 149). Muslim women are seen as outlaws simply for practicing their religion. This is hypocritical as nations like France often criticize the forced veiling of women in Saudi Arabia or Iran. However, by forcing them to unveil, they are equally restricting the agency of Muslim women. In Quebec, and in the West in general, Muslim women are often presented as living in a state of terror and inferiority in relation to their male counterparts. Québécois people, as described by Québécois premier François Legault, have different values than those of immigrants, such as peace and respect. According to this narrative, Muslim women’s values and ways of life do not align with Québécois values.
According to Homa Hoodfar, Muslim women are the main victims of Orientalist views, as they must fight to be seen as rational and literate (Hoodfar, 249). Since Western feminists participate in racist and androcentric views of Muslim women, they end up having to choose between speaking out against sexism or racism (Hoodfar, 250). Muslim women interviewed by Hoodfar claimed that white women were unable to connect with them on a friendly level, as they were too ‘‘different’’. They also claimed that their Western teachers would perceive them as ‘‘different than other Muslim women’’ simply because they were outspoken and intelligent (Hoodfar, 268). Stereotypes surrounding Muslim women being so strong, even anti-racist and feminist Westerners do not seem to avoid them (Hoodfar 269). Hoodfar describes a story in which her colleague refused to give a job application form to a hijabi student. The company in question hired Muslim men and Jews. However, Hoodfar’s boss later told her that it would be a waste of paper, as no company would hire a veiled woman (Hoodfar, 265). This shows that Muslim women are not taken into consideration by Western institutions. It also implies that the veil is seen as a sign of weakness or inaptitude. This interaction demonstrates the fact that hijabi women are not even to be seen, and when they are it is in a negative light.
Finally, José Esteban Muñoz describes the Latino identity as one that relies on the differences between the many social and ethnic groups that it encompasses (Muñoz, 67). For the Latino identity to be normative, they would have to subscribe to Western normative whiteness, as ethnic affect is often read as inappropriate. That is why the media frequently attempts to reduce and simplify the Latino identity (Muñoz, 69). In this case, ‘‘disidentification’’ could mean removing negative or harmful aspects of the representation of Latino culture, such as ‘‘exoticism’’. It could also mean representing Latinos from their own point of view, rather than from a North American perspective. Finally, ‘‘disidentification’’ could be the act of representing Latinos as a bunch of different cultures, rather than painting them as a monolith.
All these texts express a disdain with the way Westerners depict other peoples. These depictions are often tainted with ethnocentric, racist and sexist biases. The solution could be for people to represent themselves, rather than be represented by colonial institutions. -
This post by @pierre-augustin_habrih shows very good spread, covering Zine, Hoodfar, and Muñoz in a meaningful way. I'm impressed that it tackles Muñoz, whose text is probably the most difficult one among the readings for this module.
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Pierre, your post beautifully examines how systemic biases in Western frameworks marginalize and misrepresent Muslim women and Latinos, as discussed by Zine, Hoodfar, and Muñoz. The critique of the veil bans in France as hypocritical is especially powerful, as it highlights the double standard in Western secularism: while claiming to oppose oppression, it enforces its own form of control by dictating how Muslim women express their faith. This denial of agency underscores how Muslim women are subjected to Orientalist views that render them perpetual outsiders, even within the societies they inhabit. Your point about Québécois narratives, which frame Muslim women as inherently incompatible with “peace and respect,” shows how this exclusion is justified through rhetoric that racializes cultural values, effectively “othering” immigrants and their descendants.
Hoodfar’s insights on the double bind faced by Muslim women—having to navigate both sexism and racism—are particularly relevant. The anecdote about the hijabi student being denied a job application form powerfully illustrates how stereotypes are institutionalized, with the veil interpreted as a marker of inferiority or inaptitude. This connects to your broader point that these women are often rendered invisible unless portrayed in a negative light. It’s a stark reminder of how systemic racism and sexism intersect to perpetuate exclusion, even among those who claim to champion diversity and equality.
Your integration of Muñoz’s concept of disidentification expands the discussion effectively, showing how Latino identities, much like Muslim women’s experiences, are reduced and homogenized by Western narratives. The media’s role in simplifying Latino identities, or framing them through an exoticized lens, parallels the misrepresentation of Muslim women as monolithic victims. The call for disidentification as a form of reclaiming representation is a compelling solution, as it challenges these reductive frameworks by allowing marginalized groups to define themselves on their own terms.
Overall, your post emphasizes the need for self-representation as a way to disrupt colonial and ethnocentric narratives. It invites further discussion on how these efforts might be supported and amplified in a world where colonial institutions still dominate public discourse.