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The Case of Iranian Female Graduate Student in Canadian Academia

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The Case of Iranian Female Graduate Student in Canadian Academia Ironic Acceptance – Present in Academia Discarded as Oriental: The Case of Iranian Female Graduate Student in Canadian Academia by Zahra Hojati A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Theory and Policy Studies in Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto Copyright by Zahra Hojati June 2011 Ironic Acceptance- Present in Academia Discarded as Oriental: The Case of Iranian Female Graduate Student in Canadian Academia Doctor of Philosophy Zahra Hojati Department of Theory and Policy Studies in Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto June 2011 Abstract The purpose of this research is to examine the experiences of first-generation, highly educated Iranian women who came to Canada to pursue further education in a ‘just’, ‘safe’, and ‘peaceful’ place. The research has revealed that these women who were fleeing from an ‘oppressive’ and ‘unjust’ Iranian regime face new challenges and different forms of oppression in Canada. This dissertation examines some of the challenges that these women face at their place of work and/or at graduate school. The research findings are based on narratives of eleven Iranian women who participated in in-depth interviews in the summer of 2008. These women, whose ages range from 26 to 55 and are of diverse marital status, all hold an academic degree from Iran. They were also all enrolled in different graduate schools and diverse disciplines in Ontario universities at the time of the interviews. The research findings indicate that their presence in Canada became more controversial after the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade centers in New York. Historically, the social images imposed on Middle Eastern women derive from the Orientalism that arose following the colonization of the Middle East by Western imperialists. The perpetuation of such images after the 9/11 attack has created a harsh environment for the participants in this research. After 9/11 most immigrants from the Middle East were assumed to be Muslim and Arab, which many North Americans came to equate with being a terrorist. ii In order to analyze the participants’ voices and experiences, I have adopted a multi- critical theoretical perspective that includes Orientalism, anti-colonialism and integrative anti-racist feminist perspectives, so as to be equipped with the tools necessary to investigate and expose the roots of racism, oppression and discrimination of these marginalized voices. The findings of this research fall under six interrelated themes: adaptation, stereotyping, discrimination, being silenced, strategy of resistance, and belonging to Canadian society/ graduate school. One of the important results of this research is that, regardless of the suffering and pain that the participants feel in Canadian graduate school and society, they prefer to stay in Canada because of the socio-political climate in Iran. iii Dedication To my remarkable husband, Pooya, who has sacrificed a great deal to support me throughout my graduate studies To my wonderful sons, Hanif and Masih, who have both been very patient and understanding And last, but not least, to all whom I love dearly, Zahra iv Acknowledgements In the name of Allah, The Compassionate, The Merciful Human beings are members of a whole, In creation of one essence and soul. If one member is afflicted with pain, Other members uneasy will remain. If you have no sympathy for human pain, The name of human you cannot retain. ~ (Iranian poet; Saadi, 12th century) As an immigrant graduate student, my history, education, and experiences have shaped and impacted my academic journey here in Canada tremendously. Despite the many obstacles and hardships I have faced while conducting my research, I have been very fortunate to have a wonderful support system. For this reLeilan, I would like to take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to those in Iran and Canada who have been inspirational, influential and motivating forces to my academic pursuits. Moreover, throughout my studies I have relied heavily upon my meaningful and spiritual relationship with Allah and all that He has created in order to cope with all the challenges and pain that I have encountered as a result of my own diaspora. Without this devout connection to Allah, nature and people – especially those who have shared their struggles with me – this academic journey would have been most unbearable for me. v Special thanks to my amazing husband, Pooya, for his unconditional love, support, and patience. He has served as a catalyst for my inspiration and dedication to social justice for racialized immigrant women. Without his hard work and devotion to me and my dreams, this academic journey would not have been possible. Also, special thanks to my precious sons, Hanif and Masih, who have been wonderful blessings from Allah. They have also been extremely encouraging to me and understanding of my role as a graduate student pursuing my education while they were also hard at work with their own jobs. Their presence in my life continues to encourage me to re-examine my sense of self, knowledge, and my capabilities. I would also like to thank my sister, Mahvash; my sister-in-law, Fatemeh; all of my brothers who care for me and who have taken special interest in my academic research; and my dear parents. When I first came to Canada in 2000, my mother was very supportive of my graduate studies. At present, she is now unaware of my achievement due to her battle with Alzheimer’s. She has been a very important and inspirational person in my life while I completed my studies without her awareness. After 16 years of being apart, my father’s patience, kindness, forgiveness, and support have nurtured me. Since childhood, he has encouraged me to learn the English language among other foreign languages. He used to tell me, “The more languages you can speak, the more people you can communicate with, and that is the beauty of life.” His interest in education has always inspired me to be tolerant of the difficulties and challenges that come with learning. He, in praxis, has deconstructed the stereotypical image of power relations that I have witnessed between both genders. vi When, as a newcomer, I entered the Theory and Policy Studies in Education (TPS) department, the first professor who was empathetic towards me and who conscientiously helped facilitate my smooth integration in a new environment was Dr. Qazi. His role was more than that of a faculty member, he was like a godfather to me. God bless his soul; his kindness to me will never be forgotten. My appreciation also extends to Dr. Berta Vigil Laden whose brief presence at the TPS department brought great help and guidance to all students there regardless their race and gender. God bless her soul. I am also grateful to my kind, understanding, critical and supportive supervisor, Dr. Njoki Wane. Her spiritual education and behaviour encouraged me to work hard on my thesis and to utilize the challenges and disparities I have encountered in Canadian society as a source of motivation for taking on this research issue. Dr. Wane mentored me throughout my thesis writing and I knew that she cared about my progress at every stage. As a member of my thesis committee, Dr. Jamie Magnusson’s knowledge as a critical feminist visionary helped foster my academic understanding of various feminist theories and how some of these theories applied to the experiences of my subjects and myself. A thank you to Dr. John Portelli whose guidance went beyond his role as a member of my thesis committee; his knowledge, critical thinking skills, and compassion for others definitely makes him an asset to the TPS department. Thank you to Dr. Majid Malkam for introducing me to most of the participants involved in this research. To all other faculty members in the TPS department whose names have not been previously mentioned (Dr. Linda Muzzin, Dr. Skolnik, Dr. Reva Joshee, Dr. Blair Mascall , Dr. Nina Bascia, Dr. Glen Jones, Dr. Dan Lang, Dr. Maureen Ford and Dr. Cecilia Morgan) and who have taken the moment to acknowledge and demonstrate kindness to students such as myself, please know that your humanity has made a lasting impression on our minds and vii our emotional well-being in graduate school. In addition to the aforementioned, many thanks to all administrators in the TPS department - Janet, Jane, Cecilia, Janice, and Maureen - for the support they have shown to graduate students, as well as to the librarians whose smiling faces are always most welcoming when we are exhausted from reading and writing. Thank you to my journal publication editor, Andrea Lexmrix, who has worked tirelessly and promptly on my thesis; Michael McGary for his critical input involving anti- racist perspectives toward equity and social justice. He has helped me to reconstruct my paper and vision towards white-dominated culture. Thank you to Musa Oat and Shawna Bolton for helping me in editing my thesis. Their help was significant for the completion of my thesis. I would also like to personally thank all of my relatives and friends in Iran and Canada for their love and support, Leila, Hoda, Tasnim, Maheen, Shahnaz, Naheed, Hamed. K, Hadi.K, Riyad, Kimenu, Zahra Bahnji, Kisrene, Katie, Colette, Shokofeh, and especially my dearest friend, Leila, for all of her great comments and suggestions for the editing of my thesis. And last, but not least, I extend my heartfelt appreciation for each unbridled narrative that so richly enhanced this thesis and helped pave the way towards a future that incorporates my community’s voice. Such works have given me the opportunity to contextualize my own thoughts and experiences as an educated immigrant woman from Iran.
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