America at the Crossroads: Race, Islam, and Leadership

What does it mean to be American today-when identity, fear, and leadership collide?

In this urgent and illuminating follow-up to his acclaimed Journey into America, renowned scholar, diplomat, and author Akbar Ahmed returns to a defining question: Who are we now, and where are we going?

America at the Crossroads: Islam, Race, Religion, and Leadership explores how the United States, facing multiple crises-rising Islamophobia, racial reckoning, global instability, and political polarization-continues to wrestle with its identity. Drawing on decades of research and public service, Ahmed introduces a powerful model for understanding the American experience through three core identities: primordial, pluralist, and predator. These identities, rooted in history yet urgently relevant today, are reflected in the words and actions of leaders from Jefferson and Reagan to Obama, Biden, and Trump.

At the heart of the book is the evolving relationship between the U.S. and its Muslim citizens. Ahmed examines how American Muslims have faced both marginalization and growing political inclusion, from the post-9/11 rise in Islamophobia and surveillance to historic milestones such as the election of Muslim judges and legislators. Through this lens, America at the Crossroads sheds light on broader questions of belonging, leadership, and national values.

With characteristic empathy and intellectual rigor, Ahmed weaves together history, ethnography, and personal narrative to provide a sweeping meditation on race, religion, and the soul of the nation. As America grapples with competing visions of itself, this book offers a timely framework for dialogue, understanding, and a more inclusive future.