Terrified: How Anti-Muslim Fringe Organizations Became Mainstream Paperback - 2016

From the rear cover

"In this groundbreaking and methodologically sophisticated book, Christopher Bail traces the emergence and proliferation of anti-Muslim organizations from the periphery to the mainstream, describing their influence on the media, public policy, and popular culture. Terrified is a must-read."--John L. Esposito, author of The Future of Islam

"Christopher Bail's book is not only a carefully researched, subtly written, and thorough account of anti-Muslim panic, but an astute demonstration of investigative sociology at its best, combining big data, content analysis, interviews, and the history of a whole ecology of sentiment. Terrified is one of the best studies of media impact in many years."--Todd Gitlin, Columbia University

"This book explains how the media's emphasis on fringe messages and sensational issues has produced a massive shift away from favorable views of Islam to ones where Muslim Americans are viewed as harboring terrorists and supporting harsh Shari'ah law. Terrified is perhaps the most advanced study yet done on what shapes changes in public opinion."--Randall Collins, University of Pennsylvania

"In this important and groundbreaking book, Bail uses a rich combination of data to map the efforts of civil society organizations to shape the popular understanding of Islam in the wake of September 11. Empirically rich and theoretically compelling, Terrified will find a large and receptive audience among those interested in September 11, Islam, and the dynamics of cultural change."--Doug McAdam, Stanford University

"Many Americans are terrified of Islam, or at least of a version of Islam portrayed in the mainstream media. As this pioneering and well-researched book demonstrates, the first step to combat this error is to expose its sources. Terrified is a necessary read for all who care about freedom of speech and protection of minorities as foundational American rights."--Bruce B. Lawrence, author of Shattering the Myth: Islam beyond Violence

"Timely and important, Terrified looks at the rise of anti-Muslim beliefs among Americans and policymakers in the wake of September 11. This book offers one of the most incisive analyses of the role of the media in amplifying some voices while muting others in the public sphere."--Francesca Polletta, University of California, Irvine