The Pluralism Project at Harvard University
Dawinder “Dave” S. Sidhu
Baltimore, MD
Post-9/11 Civil Rights of Muslims and Sikhs
Project Description
The purpose of this research is to examine the intersection of individual rights and national security, in particular the rights of Muslims and Sikhs in the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. This project is concerned not only with the formal legal rights of these communities, but also their experiences in the post-9/11 climate. In addition, it explores the legality and propriety of government policies and programs in the national security context as they relate to members of these groups.
Mr. Sidhu currently serves as a professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and will be joining the faculty of the University of New Mexico School of Law this fall, where he will have responsibility for teaching constitutional law, national security, and employment discrimination. He was a case study fellow with the Pluralism Project in 2010. Inquires may be directed to him at dsidhu@gmail.com.
Project Research
Out of Sight, Out of Legal Recourse: Interpreting and Revising Title VII to Prohibit Workplace Segregation Premised on Religion," discusses the legality of refusing to hire employees with religious appearances, or placing these individuals out of public view, because of concerns about public reaction to these individuals. (2011).
“Civil Rights And the Wartime Supreme Court,” an essay for SCOTUSblog on the relationship between traditional race-based civil rights and post-9/11 civil rights. February, 22 2010.
First Korematsu and Now Ashcroft v. Iqbal: The Latest Chapter in the Wartime Supreme Court’s Disregard for Claims of Discrimination, critically examines the Supreme Court's decision in Ashcroft v. Iqbal, which involves the dismissal of a Muslim's allegations of discrimination against high-level government officials. (2010).
"Civil Rights in Wartime: the Post-9/11 Sikh Experience," is an academic textbook prepared by Mr Sidhu and Neha Singh Gohil on the challenges faced by turbaned Sikhs following 9/11 (Ashgate 2009).
"Wartime America and The Wire: A Response to Posner’s Post-9/11 Constitutional Framework," critiques a prominent professor and judge's proposals on the direction of the wartime Constitution. (2009)
"The Sikh Turban: Post-911 Challenges to this Article of Faith," examines the tangible and intangible discrimination faced by turbaned Sikhs in the wake of the 9/11, terrorist attacks. It provides an overview of Sikhism, incidents of discrimination, broader challenges to Sikh identity, and legal remedies available to victims. (2008)
"The Chilling Effect of Government Surveillance Programs on the Use of the Internet By Muslim-Americans," looks at the chilling effect of government surveillance measures on the use of technology, principally the Internet, by Muslim-Americans. (2007)
“We are Americans Too: A Comparative Study of the Effects of 9/11 on South Asian Communities,” commissioned by Mr. Sidhu and Valarie Kaur and written by June Han, addresses the impact of and the responses to the discrimination that South Asians faced since 9/11, focusing specifically on Indian Hindus, Pakistani Muslims, and Sikhs in the Washington, DC area. (2006)