In this paper, I explore the impact of Islamophobia on contemporary Muslim identities. I examine how Islamophobia and the question of Muslim identities appear in the cultural uses of symbols and media discourses in the West and in the psychoanalysis of a Lebanese-American woman who identified as a “secular Muslim.” The paper discusses how Islamophobia, through its creation and propagation of Muslim stereotypes, flattens the depth, diversity, and historicity of Muslim identities; it examines, as well, how Muslims internalize these stereotypes. This internalization and the direct experiences with injurious speech, discriminatory acts and hate crimes may lead to shame. Driven by shame, Muslims may sever the tie to their cultural background or idealize their Islamic religion or culture, perceived to be located in the space and time of the “glorious Islamic past,” as in the case of Islamic fundamentalism. While these strategies may protect Muslims from their painful shame, they risk collapsing their identities. I also discuss some of the social defenses employed by Muslim communities facing Islamophobia, which may reinforce the stereotypes they are desperately trying to fight.

中文翻译：

---

伊斯兰恐惧症、耻辱和穆斯林身份的崩溃

在本文中，我探讨了伊斯兰恐惧症对当代穆斯林身份的影响。我研究了伊斯兰恐惧症和穆斯林身份问题如何出现在西方符号和媒体话语的文化使用中，以及一名被认定为“世俗穆斯林”的黎巴嫩裔美国妇女的心理分析中。该论文讨论了伊斯兰恐惧症如何通过其对穆斯林刻板印象的创造和传播，使穆斯林身份的深度、多样性和历史性变得扁平化；它还考察了穆斯林如何将这些刻板印象内化。这种内化以及对伤害性言论、歧视行为和仇恨犯罪的直接体验可能会导致羞耻。在羞耻感的驱使下，穆斯林可能会切断与他们文化背景的联系，或者将他们的伊斯兰宗教或文化理想化，被认为位于“辉煌的伊斯兰过去”的空间和时间中，就像伊斯兰原教旨主义一样。虽然这些策略可以保护穆斯林免受痛苦的耻辱，但他们可能会破坏自己的身份。我还讨论了面临伊斯兰恐惧症的穆斯林社区所采用的一些社会防御措施，这可能会强化他们拼命反抗的刻板印象。