‘I’m astonished by the vitriol’: author Rozina Ali on the rise of Islamophobia after 9/11
In her new book Seasons of Fury, Ali traces the impact of anti-Muslim policies in the US, from the 1967 Israel-Arab war and the ‘war on terror’ to Trump
TL;DR
- Rozina Ali's book 'Seasons of Fury' examines the history and rise of Islamophobia in the United States, starting decades before 9/11.
- The book details government surveillance of Muslim and Arab American communities, beginning as early as the 1970s, and how this evolved into a broader targeting of Muslims after 9/11.
- Ali connects the history of Islamophobia to US foreign policy, particularly concerning the Israel-Palestine conflict, and argues that Islamophobia has become a significant political tool.
- Despite a belief in American exceptionalism in her youth, Ali realized her parents' fears about suspicion post-9/11 were valid as she reported on the impacts on Muslim communities.
- The book highlights contemporary examples of Islamophobia, including recent state designations of CAIR as a terrorist organization and anti-Muslim rhetoric directed at Muslim politicians.