The New Normal: Generational Understandings of the Aftermath of September 11, 2001 and to Today

This thesis examines the experiences and understandings of Muslims and non-Muslims of Middle Eastern and South Asian descent related to the attacks and aftermath of September 11, 2001 through the 2016 presidential election. Through the use of transcripts, the narrators describe what changes they have felt and witnessed individually, politically, and with their families. By looking at recent and archived interviews, I highlight the similarities and contrasts that arise between generations and through history when xenophobia and Islamophobia are increasingly visible. Keywords: family, identity, nationality, race, politics, foreign policy, silence, experience, knowledg