Experiences of discrimination among Arab Americans and Muslim Americans post-9/11 attacks

This study explored the experiences of discrimination among Arab Americans and Muslim Americans in the United States following the attacks of September 11, 2001. Although previous research has documented discrimination among these groups, many of these are quantitative studies that fail to capture their qualitative experiences. Twenty-eight Arab American and Muslim American adults completed a mixed methods survey which asked respondents how the events of 9/11 impacted their sense of safety and security. Additionally, they were asked to explore their experiences of discrimination since 9/11 and to speak about their experiences of media bias. The findings indicate that many Arab Americans and Muslim American respondents were discriminated against by strangers and acquaintances on various occasions. Respondents most commonly endorsed: airline profiling, microaggressions, private discrimination or hate crimes, and hate speech. Themes explored by respondents included: terrorist stereotyping and discrimination based on physical appearance. Respondents expressed that their sense of safety was minimally to moderately impacted by 9/11. All respondents experienced media bias since 9/11, including general ignorance, lumping Arabs and Muslims together into one group, and negative terrorist stereotypes