American Muslims in the Age of New Media

Abstract

The article explores how American Muslim activists increasingly use the power of social media to change the discourse about American Muslims. First, it provides a sketch of the American Muslim web presence, followed by an exploration of the American Muslim webscape’s topography. Second, it investigates how American Muslim religious leaders operate online. While some posit that the Internet can erode their authority, American Muslim religious leaders and institutions have leveraged new media to expand their following online. Third, it examines how the Internet not only fosters linkages between American Muslims and their coreligionists abroad but also, more importantly, how American Muslims use the Internet to emphasize their identity as diverse, law-abiding citizens. Finally, it shows how American Muslims use the Internet—not simply to propagate their faith but to deflect anti-Muslim sentiment and make claims for equal citizenship.