Teaching Ayad Akhtar's Disgraced: Navigating Islamophobia and Orientalism in the Drama Classroom.

This article examines Ayad Akhtar's play *Disgraced* as a pedagogical tool to explore Edward Said's theory of Orientalism and its impact on Muslim American identity and representation in contemporary culture. It highlights the frequent misinterpretations of the play, particularly regarding its Muslim American protagonist Amir Kapoor, whose conflicted identity and experiences of Islamophobia reflect broader orientalist dynamics rather than the playwright's personal views. The article advocates for teaching *Disgraced* alongside postcolonial theory to foster critical discussions about MENASA (Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian) identities, American Islamophobia, and the power structures shaping cultural representation. By situating the play within frameworks of Orientalism, neo-Orientalism, and postcolonialism, educators can help students critically analyze the complexities of identity, Othering, and resistance in both the play and wider societal contexts.