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Abstract: This paper briefly surveys the early American perceptions of Muslimsas reflected in the Barbary-related literature, and follows some of the traces ofthat past in Today's American culture. The four themes of traditional EuropeanOrientalism can be easily found in the early American literature on Barbary:Islam is portrayed in this literature as the religion of political tyranny, anti-Christian darkness, sensual pleasures, and oppression of women. What is newin this study is the American context in which these themes function. TimothyMarr believes that Islam was used by the early Americans as a “cultural enemy”,an “oppositional icon” that helped the new nation build its own identity. Thisrhetorical use of Islam against internal and external enemies seems to haveresponded to an American need for creating a new nation's self-consciousness.Marr called this internalization of Islam “domestic Orientalism” and its externalprojection “imperialism of virtue”. Key words: America, Muslims, Turks, Christianity, Orientalism, identity,perception, stereotype.

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