Muslims and American Politics: Identity, Community, and National Attachment in Post-September 11th America

2017 | Philosophy, Psychology & Social Sciences

Identity. We all have one, although it's not always clear what creates and sustains it. Things become even more complex when considering the role that groups play in affecting how one sees her/his role in the political environment of their country of residence. Perhaps the greatest tension in this regard is felt by those who are often considered outsiders in their home country, despite significant ties to their nation in many cases. Brian Calfano provides an examination of the pressures faced by perhaps the ultimate social and political outsiders in many western nations, especially the United States--Muslims. Though citizens and second generation residents in many cases, American Muslims face a combination of suspicion, government scrutiny, and social segregation in the United States, despite significant education and economic assimilation in America. The crux of the investigation advanced here centers on how group influence, emotions, and religious interpretation contribute to the political orientation and behavior of a national sample of Muslims living in the American context.

The result is a compelling explanation as to how members of an ostracized political group marshal the motivation to push through the suspicion dealt Muslims in the US to become fully engaged political actors.

Brian R. Calfano (Author)