11/20 The War On Terror

WEEK 13 STUDY GUIDE — THE WAR ON TERROR

READINGS:

  • Moustafa Bayoumi — “Between Acceptance and Rejection: Muslim Americans and the War on Terror” (2011)

  • Qiong Li & Marilynn B. Brewer — “What Does It Mean to Be an American? Patriotism, Nationalism, and American Identity After 9/11” (2004)

I. OVERVIEW

  • Focus: Examination of how the War on Terror has reshaped American identity, notions of belonging, and racial politics.

  • Thesis: Both texts investigate how national crises solidify the boundaries of citizenship and foster new forms of exclusion, especially targeted at Muslim Americans.

II. BAYOUMI (2011): BETWEEN ACCEPTANCE AND REJECTION

  • Central Argument: After 9/11, Muslim Americans navigate a landscape of conditional acceptance and active rejection. They are acknowledged in terms of diversity yet simultaneously face targeting by a surveillance apparatus.

  • Key Themes:

    • Good Muslim / Bad Muslim Binary

    • Muslims are pressured to demonstrate loyalty to the nation.

    • Citizenship emerges as both conditional and revocable based on perceived loyalty.

    • Racialization of Muslim Identity

    • The term 'Muslim' evolves into a racial category associated with physical appearance, names, and an assumed foreignness.

    • Expansion of the Surveillance State

    • Significant measures include:

      • FBI interviews

      • NSEERS (National Security Entry-Exit Registration System) registration

      • Utilization of secret evidence in trials

      • Unjust detentions

    • A dual-track justice system becomes apparent, highlighting a disparity in treatment.

    • Everyday Impacts

    • Fear arises among Muslim Americans concerning mosque attendance and the potential for discrimination.

    • Difficulties in travel are exacerbated for this community.

    • Youth report increased scrutiny regarding their identity based on these pressures.

    • Conditional Belonging

    • Inclusion within societal norms is often tied to the perceived political utility of Muslim Americans.

    • The notion of Muslims as "suspect citizens" emerges prominently.

III. LI & BREWER (2004): AMERICAN IDENTITY AFTER 9/11

  • Central Argument: The concepts of patriotism and nationalism differ significantly; following the events of 9/11, individual interpretations of “American identity” led to either increased inclusivity or exclusivity.

  • Key Concepts:

    • Patriotism vs. Nationalism

    • Patriotism: Defined as a profound love for one’s country; correlates with a greater tolerance towards others.

    • Nationalism: Defined as the belief in the superiority of one’s nation; correlates with intolerance and exclusion of differing groups.

    • Essence-Based vs. Common-Goal Identity

    • Essence-Based Identity: Identifies Americans by inherent traits such as birthplace, adherence to Christianity, and proficiency in the English language.

    • Common-Goal Identity: Defines Americans through shared values and commitment to democratic principles.

    • Experimental Findings

    • An emphasis on essence-based identity produces heightened intolerance, particularly towards Muslims.

    • Nationalism is indicative of a desire for greater social distance from minority groups.

    • Post-9/11 Context

    • National challenges intensify existing ingroup/outgroup boundaries.

    • The definition of American identity becomes a contested and regulated topic.

IV. BRINGING BOTH READINGS TOGETHER

  • Explaining Post-9/11 Islamophobia

    • Bayoumi highlights the real-life experiences and struggles of Muslim Americans.

    • Li & Brewer dissect the psychological processes that serve to justify exclusionary practices against them.

  • Conditional Citizenship

    • A narrow nationalistic view of identity tends to exclude Muslims from the category of 'American'.

    • Instances of public and private discrimination propagate and reinforce each other.

  • Crisis and Identity Policing

    • In the aftermath of 9/11, the term “American” becomes a limited and exclusive label.

    • Muslims are subjected to both state-level surveillance and social skepticism simultaneously.

V. KEY TERMS

  • Patriotism

  • Nationalism

  • Essence-based identity

  • Common-goal identity

  • Racialization of Muslims

  • Surveillance state

  • Conditional citizenship

  • Social distance

VI. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. How does Bayoumi articulate the contradictions inherent in Muslim American citizenship following the events of 9/11?

  2. Why do Li & Brewer contend that nationalism—rather than patriotism—drives systems of exclusion?

  3. In what manner do essence-based identities influence societal attitudes toward minority groups?

  4. How do the two readings collectively elucidate the patterns of Islamophobia?

  5. In what aspects did the War on Terror redefine the parameters of what constitutes an “American”?

VII. SHORT COMPARATIVE SUMMARY

  • Bayoumi offers a personal account reflecting the experiences of Muslim Americans under the scrutiny of the War on Terror, with a focus on surveillance, exclusion, and racialization.

  • Li & Brewer utilize social psychology research to demonstrate that certain characterizations of American identity, particularly those grounded in essence-based nationalism, lead to exclusionary views.

  • Collectively, the readings demonstrate how national emergencies can reshape the definitions of citizenship and belonging in society.