Horizons of the World : Imagining Coexistence in Language Through Understanding and Refiguring of Reality Ayman A
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The University of San Francisco USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center Doctoral Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects 2008 Horizons of the world : imagining coexistence in language through understanding and refiguring of reality Ayman A. Moussa Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.usfca.edu/diss Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Moussa, Ayman A., "Horizons of the world : imagining coexistence in language through understanding and refiguring of reality" (2008). Doctoral Dissertations. 188. https://repository.usfca.edu/diss/188 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects at USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The University of San Francisco HORIZONS OF THE WORLD: IMAGINING COEXISTENCE IN LANGUAGE THROUGH UNDERSTANDING AND REFIGURING OF REALITY A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the School of Education Department of Leadership Studies Organization and Leadership Program In partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Education by Ayman A. Moussa San Francisco May 2008 This dissertation, written under the direction of the candidate’s dissertation committee and approved by the members of the committee, has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education. The content and research methodologies presented in this work represent the work of the candidate alone. Ayman Moussa 3/12/08 Candidate Date Dissertation Committee Ellen A. Herda 3/12/08 Chairperson Deobrah Bloch 3/12/08 Richard Stackman 3/12/08 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................................. 6 STATEMENT OF ISSUE ................................................................................................... 6 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 6 Statement of Research Inquiry and Process ............................................................. 8 Background of Research Inquiry and Process ........................................................ 10 Significance of the Research Inquiry and Process .................................................. 16 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................. 20 BACKGROUND – DEFINING THE SCOPE ................................................................. 20 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 20 Clarification of Designation ....................................................................................... 21 The West .................................................................................................................. 23 Islam ......................................................................................................................... 25 One in the Eye of the Other .................................................................................. 28 Historical Mirror .......................................................................................................... 30 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER THREE ........................................................................................................... 36 REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ..................................................................................... 36 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 36 Philosophical Foundations ........................................................................................ 39 Imagination, Understanding, and Interpretation ................................................... 40 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 47 CHAPTER FOUR ............................................................................................................. 48 RESEARCH PROCESS AND PROTOCOLS .................................................................. 48 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 48 Research Topic Focus ................................................................................................. 49 Theoretical Framework: Research Orientation........................................................ 50 Entrée to Research Participants ................................................................................ 54 Research Categories ................................................................................................... 55 Care........................................................................................................................... 56 Identity ..................................................................................................................... 58 Fusion of Horizon ................................................................................................... 60 Research Conversation Guidelines and Questions ................................................ 63 Research Conversation Participants ......................................................................... 64 Data Collection and Presentation ............................................................................. 65 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................... 65 Pilot Field Study .......................................................................................................... 67 Research Timeline ....................................................................................................... 70 ii Background of Researcher ........................................................................................ 71 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 72 CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................................... 73 DATA PRESENTATION THROUGH PARTICIPANTS’ VOICES AND ANALYSIS 73 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 73 The Selection of the Voices ....................................................................................... 74 Identities ...................................................................................................................... 77 Ali Hashem............................................................................................................... 78 Kristel Nazzal ........................................................................................................... 79 Hisham Zabadani .................................................................................................... 80 Hussein Hammoud ................................................................................................. 81 Suzanne Moughania .............................................................................................. 82 Rasha Ezzeddine ..................................................................................................... 83 The Findings ................................................................................................................ 84 Silence ...................................................................................................................... 86 Objectivity ................................................................................................................ 89 The Walls of Separation ............................................................................................. 91 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 98 CHAPTER SIX .............................................................................................................. 101 IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................... 101 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 101 Implications of an Ontological Passport ............................................................... 102 The Ontological Passport .................................................................................... 104 The Validity Claims ............................................................................................... 108 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 110 From Is to Ought .....................................................................................................