Subjects of 'Suspicion': Racial Profiling of Muslims, South Asians, and Arabs in the Post-9/11 U.S.

Abstract

This paper analyzes the interface between Muslim communities and the law enforcement agencies in Los Angeles after the 9/11 attacks. Muslim communities have both cooperated with law enforcement as well as challenged them for profiling and targeting the group. On the side of the law enforcement, they switch between the language of multicultural inclusion and trust on the one hand, and suspicion and targeting on the other. This paper is an attempt to analyze the emerging police practices viz a viz Muslim communities and situate them in the larger debate on racial and religious profiling and community policing.

Keywords: surveillance, Muslims, South Asians, community policing, informants