Muslims in America

In: Contexts / American Sociological Association: understanding people in their social worlds, Band 7, Heft 4, S. 39-43

Abstract

Seven years after the terrorist attacks on U.S. soil catapulted Muslims into the American spotlight, concerns and fears over their presence and assimilation remain at an all-time high. Recent national polls find that four in 10 Americans have an unfavorable view of Islam, five in 10 believe Islam is more likely than other religions to encourage violence, and six in 10 believe Islam is very different from their own religion. All this despite the fact that seven in 10 admit they know very little about Islam. And yet Americans rankMuslims second only to atheists as a group that doesn't share their vision of American society.