The New “Other:” Endorsement of Islamophobia in the American Political Discourse

Abstract

This paper analyses one of the problems of American Muslims with Islamophobia while examining (i) how Islamophobic discourse has become an integral part of American politics, (ii) how American political discourse on Islam and Muslims has affected the increase of Islamophobia, especially after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, (iii) and more importantly, how Islamophobia is used as a political tool to garner the support of Americans and justify American imperial ambitions including the U.S. invasions and military occupations. According to various reports and surveys, Islamophobia has constantly risen since 2001. This makes it even more difficult for American Muslims to cope with the ever-increasing anti-Islamic sentiment and hatred. A question arises: Does the history of Islamophobia in the American context begin with the 9/11 terrorist attacks? Although 9/11 gives a fresh impetus to Islamophobia, and since then, it has been on the rise, its history is as old as the history of Orientalism in America. Thus, the paper investigates the continuities between accepted Orientalism and American political rhetoric on Muslims and Islam. After 9/11, not only American political discourse on Muslims but also regulations and laws signed by presidents are manifestations of the continuity of accepted Orientalism. Remarkably, there is a parallelism between the major tenets of Edward Said’s theory of Orientalism and the Islamophobic political discourse that emerged after 9/11. On this score, the paper draws on Edward Said's discourse analysis of Orientalism with power in order to indicate how the rise of Islamophobia among Americans and American political discourse (power) on Muslims and Islam post 9/11 are interconnected and inextricably linked. More specifically, political discourse, while reframing the discourse of “we” versus “they,” has stigmatized Muslims as “terrorists,” “extremists,” and “enemies.” Muslims, moreover, have been categorized as “good” Muslims who serve American interests and imperial policies and “bad” Muslims who are reluctant to serve imperial interests. In this framework, orientalist colonial representations of Muslims have become part of American politics. These discriminatory and derogatory discourses on Muslims and Islam rooted in politics normalize Islamophobia in American society and marginalize Muslims and create second-class citizenship for Muslims. As this study analytically explains the relationship between Orientalism, an essential tool of the Western colonial mentality, and the American political discourse, which became harsher with anti-Islamic expressions after 9/11, it shows how the American political discourse of Muslims promotes Islamophobia.