These actions may seem insignificant, but they reveal that for Muslim Americans, airports have become what Foucault (1995) called a panopticon, a space where discipline is unpredictable and ever present. In this panopticon under the watchful eye of the state and private citizens, Muslim Americans are not free to be themselves but must constantly demonstrate they are loyal and trustworthy citizens to escape discipline. Sarah told me that when she and her husband fly, they avoid reciting any Islamic prayers because they fear it will frighten their fellow passengers.

DEFINE: Applies Foucault's panopticon concept to airport surveillance, clarifying its meaning through a concrete example. XREF: Connects to Foucault's disciplinary power theories and broader literature on surveillance states. Builds on: "Airline policies normalize racializing Muslim passengers as threats."

Saher Selod, Forever Suspect_ Racialized…, loc. 234