Fear Among the Feared: Arab Americans’ Fear of Crime in an Ethnic Enclave Community

Abstract

Drawing on racial threat hypothesis and in-depth interviews with first- and second-generation Arab immigrants, this study explores Arab immigrants’ perceptions of risk and fear of crime in an ethnic enclave community. We find that Arab immigrants’ fear of crime is shaped by the unique context in which they live, with this particular population perceiving members of other minority groups as the greatest threat to their culture, community, and safety. This study extends the minority threat perspective, which typically highlights the majority group’s fear of immigrants and other minorities, by examining the inverse of this relationship. Specifically, what and who do immigrants fear at a time when they are perceived as one of the most threatening populations in the U.S.?

Cooperation with the police: a path analysis of residents in two Arab American-concentrated cities

“…Meanwhile, the effect of perceived disorder on cooperation may be less strong among Arab than non-Arab Americans. A recent qualitative study (Zaatut and Jacobsen, 2022) found that Arab Americans' perception of victimization risk was not impacted by the presence of crime and disorder in and around their neighborhood, countering the commonly found linkage between disorder and fear of crime in the general population (Gibson et al, 2002). This overall feeling of safety despite signs of disorder may come from the strong sense of community Arab immigrants felt inside their ethnic enclave (Zaatut and Jacobsen, 2022).…”

“…A recent qualitative study (Zaatut and Jacobsen, 2022) found that Arab Americans' perception of victimization risk was not impacted by the presence of crime and disorder in and around their neighborhood, countering the commonly found linkage between disorder and fear of crime in the general population (Gibson et al, 2002). This overall feeling of safety despite signs of disorder may come from the strong sense of community Arab immigrants felt inside their ethnic enclave (Zaatut and Jacobsen, 2022). If Arab American residents are less sensitive to the disorder conditions of their neighborhood, then the direct and indirect effect of perceived disorder on cooperation may be less evident as well.…”

Life on the Road: Fear of Crime Among Nomads

“…Wu et al (2017) find higher levels of fear of both general crime and prejudice related crime among Arab Americans than non-Arab Americans. Similarly, a review of studies of immigrants, including Koreans, Ghanaians, and those who do not speak English well, finds that being more isolated and less acculturated increases fear of bias crime (Zaatut & Jacobsen, 2023).…”