selected feature news
"Diversity, Faith Define Evolving Identity of Muslim Americans"
Posted August 19, 2009 by Marah Bukai
By: Howard Cincotta, America.gov
Muslim Americans constitute a large, “global” community in the United States – representing 80 different countries, are both Sunni and Shiite, and range from orthodox to secular in their religious beliefs. Among Americans they are younger, more educated and have more highly skilled or professional careers than the general population. Yet, while the Muslim American community is being hailed by European governments as a model community that can flourish in democracy, it seems that for the Muslim American community the legacy of the September 11 attacks here in the United States adds a more complex element to traditional patterns of integration for minority groups in the United States. According to Daisy Khan, one critical factor for integration revolves around shaping and defining the Muslim-American identity. In addition to this, government response is critical to shaping Muslim-American perceptions.
