South Asian American Stories of Self: The Dis/United States of Muslim Womanhood (Muslims in Global Societies Series, 10)

Description

This book acknowledges and discusses the now politically infamous aspects of an American Muslim woman’s life such as Islamophobia and hijab, but it more importantly examines how women actually deal with these obstacles, intentionally shifting the lens to capture a more holistic, nuanced understanding of their human experiences.  This text is based on a three-year-long qualitative interdisciplinary cultural and developmental psychology and gender systems study.  It uniquely organizes risks, protective factors, and coping mechanisms according to developmental life stages, from teenage to adulthood. Results show how second-generation Muslim American women’s identities develop during adolescence (11-18), emerging adulthood (19-29), and adulthood (30-39) within multiple socio-cultural contexts. Discussions regarding Muslim Americans often erroneously equate “Muslim” with “Arab” or “Middle Eastern.” By focusing on South Asian Muslim Americans, this work bluntly discusses the overlaps of South Asian culture with Islam, an important contribution to the field since the majority of immigrant Muslims in America are of South Asian descent. This study adds nuance and detail to American Muslim girls’ and women’s experiences while fighting misinformation and stereotypes. It is a significant contribution to anthropological developmental psychology and cultural psychology. The focus on a historically academically marginalized population is beneficial to students, researchers, and professionals in the field. Author’s Note Contents Chapter 1: Hello, My Name Is Answering Unasked Questions Grounding the Second-Generation Female Muslim Experience: An Interplay of Culture, Ecology, and Feminism Interviews: The Whys, Hows, and Whens Conceptualizing Stage-Specific Research Overview of Research Approach Participants: Ethnicity and Recruitment Creating the Interview Guide and Questionnaire Questions of Reliability The Path Forward References Chapter 2: The Ups, Downs, and Whatevers of Adolescence Part 1: Developmental Risks and Challenges Divided Lives, Divided Selves?: “I lead a double life” “Muslim!”: International-Political Stereotypes Micro/Aggressions: Manifestations of the International-Political Stereotype The Constantly Questionable: Muslim Womanhood Stereotypes Original Origins: “Where are you really from?” The Home Front: “I dunno, it’s pretty normal” Masjid: “It’s like really real” Boys and Reputation Best Frenemies Part 2: Protective Factors and Coping Mechanisms The Art of Whatevering: Navigating on One’s Own Sameness of “Things and Stuff:” Like Peers and Social Support from Within Little Miss Smarty Hijab: Why Smartness Is Important Part 3: Adolescent Outcomes Emergent Identities: Becoming What She Will Be The (Muslim) Girl Next Door The Cusp Moment References Chapter 3: Being While Becoming: Emerging Adulthood Part 1: Marriage I Do (It All!): American Islamic Marriage Versus American Marriage Reasons to Marry: Public Acceptance and Private Freedom Part 2: Education From Protective Factor to Risk Graduate Education: Issues of Marriage, Marginalization, and Mental Health Creating New Methods of Coping for Higher Education Excelling at the Cost of Romantic Partnership and Community Support Location, Location, Location Part 3: Individual Experiences Through Stages From Adolescent to Emerging Adult: Three Case studies Career: Or Not Part 4: Resolution of Adolescent Risks Taking Back Power Through Intentional Giving: The Reduced Risk of Questions and Divided Life Spaces Islamophobia and the Muslim Womanhood Stereotype Hijab Sexual Harassment: Where Islamophobia and Patriarchies Meet Halfway Trumping Trump: Complications of Non-Muslim Allyship Part 5: Risks of Unconventional Life Paths The Misfits: An Unwelcome Extended Adolescence Part 6: Coping Mechanisms Help: Turning to Established Coping Mechanisms as a Coping Mechanism Therapy AMEA Women-Driven Support Groups Just Get on with It: Goal-Oriented Focus as a Coping Mechanism Part 7: Emerging Adulthood Outcomes The (Sort of, Kind of) All-American Woman Settling into Selfhood: From Becoming to Being References Chapter 4: Adulthood: The Final Chapter? A Struggle with the Juggle: Motherhood Versus Career Un-mosqued: Motherhood Versus Masjid The Risk of Isolation and Loss of Tradition Third Spaces: A Mindfully Constructed Coping Mechanism Islamophobia and Muslim Womanhood: Then and Now A Retrospective: Where Were You When 9/11 Happened? Experiencing the Trump Era as an Adult It’ll All Be Okay in the End: Resolutions of the Risks of Education and/or Marriage A Loosening of Ties: Religion Versus Spirituality References Chapter 5: Looking Back to Look Forward Unanswered Questions References Index