Mapping census data for difference: Towards the heterogeneous geographies of Arab American communities of the New York metropolitan area

► The 2000 US census categorization assists in marginalization of Arab Americans. ► They lack power and are vulnerable to orientalism, stereotyping, and hate crimes. ► We combine ancestry, language, and nationality data with immigration history. ► Mapping Arab communities of New York region as diverse counters orientalizing effects. ► It enables richer debates on differing conceptions of Arab American identities.