“American Jihad”

Abstract

This paper looks at competing uses of the concept of jihad in American society in the aftermath of 9/11. It examines three alternative meanings given to “American Jihad.” Three of the instances all have “American Jihad” as their title: a book by Steven Emerson, a commencement speech by a Harvard student, and an episode of NBC TV series “Law & Order.” All three cases are acts of politics and moments of regulation of the entry of the concept of jihad into cultural circulation.