Public service announcement to Westerners who are Middle East specialists:
- Knowing Arabic doesn't make you an expert on all things Arab
- If you understand one country it doesn't mean you understand all Arab countries
- Knowing Arabic doesn't make you an expert on all things Arab
- If you understand one country it doesn't mean you understand all Arab countries
- If you're in the business of essentializing Arab "culture" or societies, then you're simply no expert
- If you're an expert it doesn't mean you can shit all over local experts or ignore their lived experiences or realities
- If you're an expert it doesn't mean you can shit all over local experts or ignore their lived experiences or realities
- You need to be fully aware that you're not *nearly* as invested in our struggles as we are.
- The worst that can happen to you is missing a promotion. The worst that can happen to us is unthinkable to you.
- Thank you and have a nice day
- The worst that can happen to you is missing a promotion. The worst that can happen to us is unthinkable to you.
- Thank you and have a nice day
(When a country X expert makes blanket statements on *all* Arab countries, or worse yet on "Arab culture", meanwhile shitting all over the lived realities of natives.)
Now I think I should do one of these threads but about white Westerners who convert to Islam and suddenly become experts on everything
