Beyond Tokenism: A Study of Arab-American Muslim Identity, Belonging, and Social Dynamics in The Other Americans and Between Two Moons

Abstract

This paper critically examines Arab American Muslim women’s identities, belonging, and social dynamics in Laila Lalami’s The Other Americans (2019) and Aisha Abdel Gawad’s Between Two Moons (2023). The analysis addresses a significant gap in current scholarship: the insufficient exploration of how these novels avoid tokenism by providing complex and authentic representations of Arab American Muslim women. This paper uses symbolic inclusion to explore how cultural heritage, assimilation, and societal integration shape the protagonists’ identities. The methodology of textual analysis focuses on the extent to which the two novelists resist the superficial inclusion of marginalized characters, offering narratives where characters are both “seen” and “othered,” challenging stereotypes and advocating for genuine inclusion within diasporic narratives. The key findings indicate that: (1) both novels depict Arab American Muslim women with depth, showcasing their struggles and resilience in navigating complex cultural and social landscapes; (2) the narratives challenge tokenism by portraying characters’ internal conflicts and multifaceted identities rather than reducing them to mere cultural markers; and (3) the novels highlight the protagonists’ agency in asserting their identities, countering the stereotypical portrayals often found in mainstream media. The study implies that Arab-American narratives can effectively foster genuine inclusion and understanding of diverse identities within diasporic narratives.

Keywords

• Arab-American identity
• social dynamics
• symbolic inclusion
• tokenism
• representation

Thanks

Acknowledgments I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Professor Raihanah M. M., my supervisor at the School of Language Studies and Linguistics, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, for her invaluable guidance, encouragement, and unwavering support throughout the course of my research. Her insightful feedback and dedication have been instrumental in shaping this study. I am equally thankful to my co-supervisor, Dr. Firuz-Akhtar Lubis, from the Research Center of Arabic Studies and Islamic Civilization, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, whose expertise and constructive feedback provided depth and clarity to my work. Her commitment and attention to detail have greatly enriched my research experience. Additionally, I extend my thanks to the School of Language Studies and Linguistics, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia for providing the resources and academic environment necessary to undertake this research.

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