Middle Eastern American

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Middle Eastern American
Total population	936,656 0.4% of the US population
Regions with significant populations	Los Angeles, California, California, New York, Florida, Washington D.C. and Virginia
Language	English, Arabic, Persian, Armenian, Turkish, Hebrew and other
Religion	Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Bahá'í Faith

Middle Eastern American (Mideastern American) is a term used by universities such as the City University of New York^[1], University of California, Los Angeles^[2], Santa Clara University^[3], Central Michigan University^[4] and UC Berkeley^[5] for a American of Middle Eastern ancestry. The term is often used interchangeably with Arab American by such organizations as the Center for Near Eastern Studies in their program of Middle Eastern and Arab American Gender Studies.^[6]

Contents 1 US Census Racial Classification 2 Discrimination 3 Population 4 See Also 5 References

[edit] US Census Racial Classification

Middle Eastern Americans are classified as White on the 2000 US Census along with North Africans and European Americans.^[7] North Africa is considered to be part of the Middle East region by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs^[8], so the specification of North Africa was most likely a clarification. The region of Central Asia is often considered part of the Middle East due to a shared culture and religion.^[9] Central Asia is not considered to be explicitly labeled Asian by the 2000 US Census, so Central Asian Americans are probably classified as Middle Eastern Americans. Pakistani Americans while sometimes included in this region are specifically classified as Asian.^[10]

In the USA, common non-governmental, colloquial and social understandings of "White" differ from that country's official government definition by excluding Muslims^[11] and Americans without European ancestry.^[12] Although under some definitions of Asia "West Asia" is included, Middle Eastern Americans are not usually considered Asian Americans.^[13] Thus, they are often spoken of as separate groups^[14][15], although some Asian American groups consider Middle Eastern Americans also Asian American.^[16]

[edit] Discrimination

Further information: Stereotypes of Arabs and Stereotypes of South Asians

Middle Eastern Americans are often considered an invisible minority.^[17] After 9/11, they were the target of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hatred along with South Asian Americans. As a result, some were detained without due process of law under the suspicion of terrorist activities. Coinciding with 9/11, United States politicians such as George W. Bush refered to them with his "good vs. evil" rhetoric. Iranian Americans have had to surpass the anti-Iranian sentiment after the United States involvement in the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979.^[18]

[edit] Population

Middle Eastern American Ancestries in the 2000 US Census^[19]

Ancestry	1990	1990 % of US population	2000	2000 % of US population	Percent change from 1990 to 2000
Arab	127,364	0.1%	205,822	0.1%	increased 61.6%
Egyptian	78,574	negligible (no data)	142,832	0.1%	increased 81.8%
Iranian	235,521	.1%	338,266	.1%	increased 43.6%
Israeli	81,677	negligible (no data)	106,839	negligible (no data)	increased 30.8%
Syrian	129,606	.1%	142,897	.1%	increased 10.3%
Turkish	83,850	negligible (no data)	117,575	negligible (no data)	increased 40.2%
Total	736,592	0.3%	936,656	0.4%	increased 27.2%

[edit] See Also

Demographics of the United States

Demographics of the United States • Demographic history Economic - Social Educational attainment • Household income • Homeownership • Immigration • Income quintiles • Language • Middle classes • poverty • Religion • Social structure • Unemployment by state • Wealth Race - Ethnicity - Ancestry Race • Ethnicity on the US Census • Maps of American ancestries • 2000 Census • Race on the US Census • Racism Asian Americans • African Americans • Mexican Americans • Native Americans • Pacific Islander American White Americans • Caucasian Americans • European Americans • Middle Eastern Americans

[edit] References

1. ^ Kharrazi, Ali. The Graduate Center. MEMEAC. 2003. November 4, 2006. [1]
2. ^ UCLA. MEARO. 2003. Novermber 4, 2006. [2]
3. ^ Middle Eastern American Resources. 1999. November 4, 2006. [3]
4. ^ Central Michigan University. Middle Eastern American Cultural Resources. 2000. November 4, 2006. [4]
5. ^ UC Berkeley. Media Resources Center. Middle Eastern Americans. 1996. November 4, 2006.[5]
6. ^ UCLA. Center for Near Eastern Studies. 2006. November 4, 2006. [6]
7. ^ U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census of Population, Public Law 94-171 Redistricting Data File.Race Retrieved September 18, 2006
8. ^ International Information Programs USINFO.STATE.GOV. Middle East and North Africa. 2006. November 4, 2006.[7]
9. ^ World Atlas.com The Middle East. September 30, 2006. [8]
10. ^ Barnes, Jessica. The Asian Population: 2000. 2002. November 4, 2006.[9]
11. ^ Painter, Nell Irvin. Yale University. Collective Degradation:Slavery and the Construction of Race. Why White People are Called Caucasian. 2003. October 9, 2006. [10]
12. ^ Jay, Gregory. University of Wisconsin-Milwakee Who Invented White People? 1998. November 5, 2006.[11]
13. ^ Lee, Sharon M. Population Reference Bureau. Asian Americans Diverse and Growing. 2006. September 10, 2006. [12]
14. ^ Regents of UCLA. UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies. 2006. November 4, 2006. [13]
15. ^ Hanshaw, Rick. Richland College. Asian/Middle-Eastern Studies. 2005. November 4, 2006.[14]
16. ^ Asian American.net. Middle East. 2001. November 4, 2006.[15]
17. ^ City University New York. MEMEAC. 2005. November 4, 2006.[16]
18. ^ UC Berkeley. Media Resources Center. Middle Eastern Americans. I Call Myself Persian. 1996. November 4, 2006.[17]
19. ^ Brittingham, Angela. Ancestry 2000:Census Brief. 2004. October 30, 2006. [18]