1. Everyday politics in Arab new york: what does it mean to be Arab American?

Abstract

This chapter argues that the best way to understand politics in Arab communities is to focus on everyday life and the ways that political engagement and speech is rooted in and supported by everyday contexts. It explores the complexities involved in naming ‘an’ Arab community, and develops the concept of an Arab community in practice as a way of naming social spaces where Arab-identified individuals come together to enact that identity. Finally, this chapter establishes the interpretive ethnographic methodology and normative commitments that drive the book as a whole.