ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the struggle of Muslim Americans, including the second generation, to be recognized as full citizens of the United States without having to defend their worthiness, credibility, or loyalty. While they have official citizenship and carry American passports, many continue to feel that their citizenship is somewhat “incomplete” or “qualified.” The chapter will explore particular moments in American history when Muslim American identity has become entangled with American attitudes towards religion, politics, and race. These moments often occur during periods of military adventures overseas or when the religious identity of the nation is noticeably evolving. While first-generation (foreign-born) Muslims in the U.S. have attempted to maintain their culture by remembering and attempting to reinvent it in the Western context, this chapter argues that the American-born second generation is in the process of fashioning a Muslim-American exceptionalism. This exceptionalism is an attempt to engage American society through Muslim political participation, social incorporation and cultural expressions.
