Islamophobia and (Mis)profiling: American Muslims as a Non-model Minority in Post-9/11 Novels

This article examines the portrayal of American Muslims in post-9/11 novels, highlighting narratives of mis-profiling and Islamophobia. Since the 9/11 attacks, the perception of American Muslims has been profoundly influenced by fear, leading to their depiction as non-model minorities within a backdrop of heightened security and suspicion. This study explores how these literaty works reflect the societal challenges faced by American Muslims in terms of meritocracy and model minority frame. The novels selected for this study provide a spectrum of responses to the post-9/11 socio-political landscape, portraying American Muslims navigating through a milieu of discrimination and cultural isolation. John Updike's Terrorist delves into the alienation and radicalization of a young Muslim man, while Mohsin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist offers a narrative of identity crisis and disillusionment with the American dream of an ivy league graduated elite from Pakistan. Laila Halaby's Once in a Promised Land illustrates the personal and communal impacts of xenophobic paranoia on a Jordanian Muslim couple striving for the American dream. By critically analyzing these narratives, this article argues that post-9/11 literature has not only mirrored the escalation of Islamophobia but has also contributed to the nuanced dialogue about race, identity, and the American dream by emphasizing the need for a more inclusive and empathetic understanding of American Muslim experiences in the contemporary United States. (Hongik University)