The focus of this paper is the plight the Muslims of the world, especially those living in America, face due to religious discriminations. This discrimination is the result of the religious profiling of the media and the institutions which are working to spread the ideology of the West to the rest of the world. Everything is under their control so they manipulate the facts. Many Asian writers have tried to portray the true picture of the scene but it remains a great crisis need to be resolved.
This paper will examine the core issues resulting from the religious profiling with the references from the novel "The Reluctant Fundamentalist", written by Mohsin Hamid in the context of post-9/11 milieu of the world, especially about the dealing with the Muslims.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Methodology
1.3 Aims of the Research
1.4 Significance of the Research
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
3. DISCUSSION
4. Conclusion
5. References
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the impact of religious and racial profiling on Muslims in the post-9/11 era, specifically through the lens of Mohsin Hamid’s novel "The Reluctant Fundamentalist." The research investigates how media-driven stereotypes and discriminatory societal attitudes lead to the alienation and identity crisis of Muslim individuals living in Western societies, arguing that such profiling fosters hatred rather than understanding.
- The psychological impact of racial and religious profiling on Muslim identity.
- The role of Western media in constructing negative stereotypes of Muslims as "terrorists."
- The conflict between personal loyalty to a Western nation and the feeling of being an "outsider."
- The portrayal of the immigrant experience in post-9/11 America.
- The critique of hypocritical ideologies regarding international relations and terrorism.
Excerpt from the Book
A Brief Summary of The Reluctant Fundamentalist
Much literature has been written to highlight the issue of religious and racial profiling in the world’s most civilized and sophisticated countries. The Reluctant Fundamentalist has become an icon of this kind of literature. In this novel, Mohsin Hamid narrates the tale of a Pakistani boy Changez. Changez went to the United States when he was only eighteen years old. He went there to study. After getting higher degree he joined Underwood Samson, a well reputed evaluation firm where he was paid and admired very well. He got progress day and night there. In a park, Changez met an American girl named Erica. He had a great desire to make love with her but she always went in nostalgic situation while having sex with Changez. After the attacks of 9/11 in USA, the world of Changez had been changed. America and Erica had suddenly become stranger to him. He became a foreigner after this event. He was being treated as other everywhere in America. His beard made him aware that he was a Muslim and a Pakistan, not an American. He rejected the bright future in American. He resigned and returned to Pakistan, his native land to find his true identity. There he started to work for the self-sufficiency of the country. He was suspected that he had links with Talibans and militants in Pakistan. An American journalist came to interview from him to whom he narrated his entire story.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: This chapter contextualizes the rise of religious profiling post-9/11 and outlines the research scope, methodology, and the significant aims regarding the study of the novel.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW: This section explores the historical and social dimensions of profiling based on race and religion, highlighting the specific prejudice faced by Muslims in the current global climate.
3. DISCUSSION: This chapter provides a detailed analysis of the novel, focusing on the character Changez and how his experiences in America illustrate the consequences of religious stereotypes.
4. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, asserting that the novel serves as a critique of how Western society alienates peaceful immigrants through systemic suspicion.
5. References: A list of scholarly and literary works that inform the theoretical framework and analysis presented in the paper.
Keywords
Muslims, discrimination, profiling, post-9/11 milieu, Mohsin Hamid, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, identity crisis, Islamophobia, Western ideology, racial profiling, alienation, immigration, terrorism, media representation, Pakistani diaspora.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the plight of Muslims living in America and Western countries, specifically analyzing the issue of religious and racial profiling in the context of the post-9/11 era.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
The core themes include religious profiling, the impact of negative media representation, identity crises among immigrants, and the consequences of systemic discrimination.
What is the main goal or research question of this study?
The primary aim is to prove that discrimination leads to hatred and to illustrate through Mohsin Hamid’s novel how religious profiling affects the personality and sense of belonging of Muslim individuals in America.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The researcher utilized qualitative research methods, conducting a descriptive analysis through a close reading of the novel and consulting various print and online sources.
What is covered in the main body (Discussion) of the paper?
The discussion provides an in-depth analysis of the novel "The Reluctant Fundamentalist," focusing on key interactions between the protagonist Changez and American characters to reveal the extent of anti-Muslim prejudice.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include Muslims, discrimination, profiling, post-9/11 milieu, Mohsin Hamid, and identity crisis.
How does the author interpret the significance of Changez’s beard in the novel?
The beard is interpreted as a symbol that triggers American suspicion and prejudice, serving as a catalyst for Changez’s transition from an integrated employee to an alienated outsider.
What argument does the author make regarding the "hypocritical ideology" of Americans?
The author argues that there is a contradiction in American attitudes, where they condemn terrorism but simultaneously show indifference or pleasure when American military actions harm civilians and structures in the homelands of others.
Why does Changez eventually decide to return to Pakistan?
Changez returns to Pakistan because he feels increasingly humiliated and alienated in the United States, ultimately choosing to reject a future in America to regain his true identity and work for his own country's self-sufficiency.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Muhammad Rizwan (Autor:in), 2016, Religious and Racial Profiling in Mohsin Hamid's Novel "The Reluctant Fundamentalist", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/313847
