The Institutionalization of Islamophobia in the United States Post 9/11

Abstract

The current study aims at investigating the process of institutionalizing Islamophobia in the United States in the era following the attacks on the New York Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. Networks of nongovernmental organizations exploited the tense climate to launch a well-planned anti-Muslim propaganda campaign. The fear and hostility towards Islam is a phenomenon that can be traced back to the earliest encounters between Muslims and Americans. This clash re- appeared prominently through the influx of Muslims‟ immigrants to the United States. During the 20thc, the American society witnessed a huge number of terrorist events which the US media and cinema linked to American Muslims. Since the events of 9/11, Muslims‟ situation hardened especially with the declaration of the global war on terror which targeted Muslims within the American ground as well as abroad. The post 9/11 era was characterized by the emergence of a number of anti- Islam institutions which played a big role to promote the negative image of Islam and Muslims.The institutionalization of Islamophobia is a new dangerous phase in its development in America. As a reaction, Muslims established their own institutions in order to challenge the proclaimed stereotypes which impacted their lives negatively.