BETWEEN THE CRESCENT AND THE STAR=-SPANGLED BANNER: AMERICAN MUSLIMS AND US FOREIGN POLICY

In: International affairs, Band 72, Heft 3, S. 493-506

Abstract

THE AUTHOR NOTES THAT WHILE MUSLIMS ARE AS NUMEROUS AS JEWS IN THE UNITED STATES, THEY WIELD ONLY A FRACTION OF THE INFLUENCE ON POLITICS, SPECIFICALLY ON FOREIGN POLICY. IDENTIFYING FOUR ASPECTS OF THE AMERICAN MUSLIM IDENTITY - NATIONAL ORIGIN, RACIAL AFFILIATION, RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION AND AMERICAN AFFILIATION - HE EXAMINES HOW THESE AFFECT THE VIEWS OF AMERICAN MUSLIMS TOWARDS US FOREIGN POLICY. HE NOTES THE CONFLICTING ATTRACTIONS OF THE TWO MAIN US POLITICAL PARTIES FOR AMERICAN MUSLIMS AND THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE NATION OF ISLAM UNDER LOUIS FARRAKHAN. HE CONCLUDES WITH AN ANALYSIS OF THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 'INDIGENOUS' AND 'IMMIGRANT' MUSLIM AMERICANS.