Limits of Panethnicity: An Alternative Model of Group Formation

Existing theories of panethnicity in the United States concentrate on Asian Americans and Latinos, two umbrella groups that originally coalesced during the 1960s Civil Rights era. Although the role played by the state is recognized as a central factor in panethnic development, we argue that this pivotal variable is heavily dependent on historical context. Through a case study of newly emerging ethnic minorities (Middle Eastern and South Asian Americans in the post-9/11 era), we reexamine existing theories of panethnicity at a time when the state plays a narrowly-targeted punitive role. Using an innovative methodology which draws on a wide range of novel sources, we document the way in which the ethnic “Arab” and religious “Muslim” labels have been reinforced at the expense of panethnic labels like “Middle Eastern” and “South Asian.” Accordingly, we develop an alternative model of group formation which prioritizes historical context and the role of the state.