After the September 11th attacks, the United States government's policies painted Muslim extremists as the global face of terrorism. The Islamophobia unleashed as a response in many ways paved the way for the movement of nationalism that has characterized the ascendance of right-wing politics.
The newfound focus on Islam post-9/11 forced many American Muslims to reevaluate their place within the broader American community. For younger Muslims, this meant abandoning steady career paths in favor of roles in government and policy.
We hear from two American Muslims, Shadi Hamid, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of the book, "Islamic Exceptionalism: How the Struggle over Islam is Reshaping the World,” and Zainab Chaudry, Director of Maryland Outreach for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this segment. Don't have time to listen right now? Subscribe to our podcast via iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts to take this segment with you on the go.
Want to comment on this story? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.