Behind the Backlash
| Company type | Book |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 2011 |
| Founder | Lori Peek |
| Products | Non-fiction book |
| Parent | Temple University Press |
Behind the Backlash: Muslim Americans after 9/11 is a 2011 work authored by professor Lori Peek and published by Temple University Press. This book investigates the discrimination and violence that Muslim Americans endured following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Peek reveals how negative stereotypes targeting Islam, Arabs, and individuals of Middle Eastern descent intensified, incorporating personal testimonies from 120 Muslim American participants. The publication illuminates the racism, mistreatment, and oppression faced during this volatile era, providing a critical examination of their evolving social position and experiences before and after 9/11.
Summary
In Behind the Backlash: Muslim Americans after 9/11, Lori Peek delves into the particular adversities confronted by Muslim American men and women amidst growing animosity after the September 11 events. Although numerous Muslim-majority countries officially condemned the attacks and Congressional measures sought to curb retaliatory violence, Muslim Americans continued to be subject to discrimination and hostility. Peek points out that even children were aware of changing social attitudes related to race and gender. The linkage of Islam to the deadliest terrorist incident in U.S. history solidified biases, positioning Muslims as scapegoats for those attempting to process trauma through misdirected blame. The community experienced verbal abuse, threats, racial profiling, and infringements on civil rights. Peek’s study offers important perspectives on the everyday anxieties of Arab and Muslim Americans, urging readers to move past unfounded assumptions and foster a deeper understanding of their communities.
Reviews
Peter Gottschalk, Professor of Religion, Wesleyan University; co-author of Islamophobia: Making Muslims the Enemy
Commendation/Relevance:
Peek draws attention to issues concerning the marginalization of specific ethnic groups within the United States.
Steve Kroll-Smith, Editor of Sociological Inquiry; Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina, Greensboro:
Commendation/Relevance:
Prompts reconsideration of tolerance’s significance in contemporary American society.
Peek investigates post-9/11 discrimination and hostility directed at Muslims alongside underlying prejudices.
Library Journal:
Critique:
Peek’s findings precede major anti-Muslim campaigns and propaganda.
Commendation:
Nonetheless, it effectively illustrates how attributing blame to Muslims for 9/11 intensified societal divisions.
Choice:
Commendation/Relevance:
Successfully confronts misconceptions and stereotypes about Muslims and Arabs in the post-9/11 context.
The International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters:
Critique:
The work is notably personal with detailed individual narratives.
Commendation:
This personal dimension enriches scholarship related to disaster response.
Sociology of Religion:
Relevance:
Emphasizes Peek’s thoughtful examination of 9/11-related hysteria affecting less visibly Muslim victims.
American Journal of Sociology:
Commendation:
Delivers sociological perspectives on prospective treatment of Muslim Americans.
Religious Studies Review:
Commendation:
Provides a platform for genuine Muslim American voices through impartial narration and clear language.
Honors
- American Sociological Association (ASA) Early Career Award for Exceptional Scholarship, 2009
- Distinguished Book Award from the Midwest Sociological Society, 2012
- Best Book Award granted by the ASA section on Altruism, Morality, and Social Solidarity, 2013
Related works and publications
- Muslims in America: A Short History authored by Edward E. Curtis IV
- Mecca and Mainstreet: Muslim Life in America after 9/11 by Geneive Abdo
- Fueling Our Fears: Stereotyping, Media Coverage, and Public Opinion of Muslim Americans written by Brigitte L. Nacos and Oscar Torres-Reyna
- Backlash 9/11: Middle Eastern and Muslim Americans Respond by Anny P. Bakalian and Medhi Bozorgmehr
- The Columbia Sourcebook of Muslims in the United States by Edward E. Curtis IV
- Muslims in the West After 9/11: Religion, Law and Politics authored by Jocelyne Cesari
- Muslim Americans: Debating the Notions of America and Un-American by Nahid Afrose Kabir