Islamophobia in the US traced back to the 1960s

Journalist Rozina Ali is examining the historical roots of Islamophobia in the United States through her book, ‘Seasons of Fury: Four Families and the Rise of Islamophobia in America’. While the September 11 attacks served as a major turning point that expanded surveillance and counter-terrorism apparatuses, Ali argues that the suspicion toward American Muslims began much earlier, tracing roots back to the 1960s.

Ali’s research highlights how U.S. security policies, Middle East politics, and surveillance of Arab activists—such as attorney Abdeen Jabara—contributed to the gradual construction of anti-Muslim sentiment. The work explores how these systemic patterns of monitoring and political perceptions shaped the lived experiences of Muslim families long before the 2001 attacks.

In a broader societal context, discussions regarding Muslim integration in Western nations have shifted from security concerns to debates over culture and values. There is a growing tension where moderate Muslims often find themselves caught between conservative religious factions within their own communities and rising anti-Islamic sentiment from far-right political movements.