Muslims in the United States

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Conversations about Muslim Americans often center on Islam and its compatibility with American norms – with one side arguing that devotion to Islam makes one a better American, and the other saying it’s impossible to be both fully American and fully committed to Islam. But the relationship between theological and national norms is only one aspect of how Muslims fit into American society – and in many cases not the most important aspect. This course will examine the interaction of religious and national identities for American Muslims alongside their distinctive racial, ethnic, class and gender identities. First, it will examine how Muslims themselves see these interactions – and what that means for political participation and allyship as well as religious practice. It will also explore the ways in which the perceptions of the larger American public impact the roles Muslims play in American society. 1. Jihad and the Muslim race: What Americans (think they) know about Islam and Muslims 2. Muslim American diversity: A demographic profile of American Muslims 3. African American Muslims to 1970 and collective conversation 4. Arab Muslims to 1970 and the evolution of Whiteness 5. South Asian Muslims to 1970 and occupational preference immigration 6. European American Muslims to 1970 and individual conversion 7. Muslim American history 1970-2020: the development of Muslim American identity. 8. Generational cohorts 9. Race and racism among Muslim communities: Do Black lives matter to Muslim Americans? 10. Gender and feminism 11. Socioeconomic status 12. Islam’s five pillars and adapting to the U.S. context 13. U.S. Muslim Political and social values: Balancing competing identity claims 14. U.S. Muslims in global perspective (Muslim minorities in Western Europe; ties to Muslim majorities in the Middle East and South Asia) 15. Participation in U.S. politics and social movement – leadership and political allies