Chapter 2: Building Peace In the Family: American Host Families of Muslim Exchange Students Post 9/11

The tragic events of September 11, 2001 touched all our lives. In the days following the attacks, Americans were recipients of a tremendous outpouring of caring and concern from people the world over. At the same time, the evening news flashed images of people dancing in the streets in parts of the Middle East. It was the beginning of the “War on Terror,” the invasion of Afghanistan, and eventually the war in Iraq. In the months following the September 11th attacks, the U.S. government developed other, less visible, responses to terrorism and the increasing tensions between the United States and the Muslim world.