The War on Terror, preceded by Orientalism and the clash of the civilizations, has had the effect of racializing Muslim bodies. According to Rana, the current racialization of Muslims as terrorists is the product of newer racial meanings built upon older forms of racism. In a post-9/11 society, the state perpetuates a fear of terrorism within the public sphere in order to justify increased focus and spending on national security. This anxiety of Muslim terrorists produces a state of panic in the American public. Rana states, “‘The Muslim’ emerged as a category of race that was policed through narratives of migration, diaspora, criminality, and terror” (2011: 66). Another characteristic of the Muslim terrorist is that he is also a “global Muslim,” stripped of individuality based on nationality and culture.

XREF: Connects to Said's Orientalism and Huntington's clash of civilizations as historical precedents shaping contemporary racialization of Muslim bodies.

Saher Selod, Forever Suspect_ Racialized…, loc. 33