DOCSLIB.ORG

Perceptions of Marital Satisfaction Among Coptic Orthodox Christian Egyptian-American Husbands and Wives Monir Fuad Nazir Atta-Alla

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Perceptions of Marital Satisfaction Among Coptic Orthodox Christian Egyptian-American Husbands and Wives Monir Fuad Nazir Atta-Alla Duquesne University Duquesne Scholarship Collection Electronic Theses and Dissertations Summer 2009 Perceptions of Marital Satisfaction among Coptic Orthodox Christian Egyptian-American Husbands and Wives Monir Fuad Nazir Atta-Alla Follow this and additional works at: https://dsc.duq.edu/etd Recommended Citation Atta-Alla, M. (2009). Perceptions of Marital Satisfaction among Coptic Orthodox Christian Egyptian-American Husbands and Wives (Doctoral dissertation, Duquesne University). Retrieved from https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/253 This Immediate Access is brought to you for free and open access by Duquesne Scholarship Collection. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Duquesne Scholarship Collection. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PERCEPTIONS OF MARITAL SATISFACTION AMONG COPTIC ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN EGYPTIAN-AMERICAN HUSBANDS AND WIVES A Dissertation Submitted to the School of Education Executive Counselor Education and Supervision program Department of Counseling, Psychology, and Special Education Duquesne University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy By Monir Fuad Nazir Atta-Alla August 2009 Copyright by Monir Fuad Nazir Atta-Alla 2009 DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF EDUCATION Department of Counseling, Psychology and Special Education Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Executive Counselor Education and Supervision Program Presented by: Monir Fuad Nazir Atta-Alla Assiut University, B.A., 1981 Assiut University, Two Year Graduate Diploma, 1983 Assiut University, M.A., 1985 Glasgow University/Assiut University, Ph.D., 1989 June 25, 2009 PERCEPTIONS OF MARITAL SATISFACTION AMONG COPTIC ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN EGYPTIAN-AMERICAN HUSBANDS AND WIVES Approved by: _____________________________________________, Chair William J. Casile, Ph.D. Associate Professor ___________________________________________, Member Jocelyn Gregoire, Ed.D., C.S. Sp. Assistant Professor ___________________________________________, Member Nicholas J. Hanna, Ph. D. Professor iii ABSTRACT PERCEPTIONS OF MARITAL SATISFACTION AMONG COPTIC ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN EGYPTIAN-AMERICAN HUSBANDS AND WIVES By Monir Fuad Nazir Atta-Alla, August 2009 Dissertation supervised by Dr. William Casile According to Christianity, marriage was founded by God the Creator as a sacred relationship between a man, a husband, and a woman, a wife. Marriage in the Coptic Orthodox Church is a sacrament. Coptic Orthodox Christians are allowed to marry one spouse. Coptic Orthodox Christian husbands and wives have the right to divorce only in the case of evidenced adultery or apostasy. This qualitative study is the first of its kind to consider marital satisfaction among Coptic Orthodox Christian Egyptian-Americans. The study analyzed the relevant constructed meanings that emerged from all interviews and clustered them into five main themes in an attempt to reach an in-depth understanding of the lived marital experiences of Coptic Orthodox Christian Egyptian-American husbands and wives. These themes included their perception of what marital satisfaction is, the general factors that contributed to it, the effects of daily marital iv experiences, how they managed these factors, and what they would change to improve their marital satisfaction. The analysis of the collected data in this study provided a rich description of the Coptic Orthodox Christian Egyptian-Americans’ lived marital experiences and an identification of factors that influence their level of marital satisfaction. The conclusions of the study indicate that there is a conflict between the Coptic Orthodox Church’s view of marriage and that of the American society. Many Coptic Orthodox Christian Egyptian- American wives appear to question and reject their subordinate position in the family. They are beginning to seek more autonomy and equal power in marital relationships. Many Coptic Orthodox Christian Egyptian-American husbands also appear to reject their identity and role as a husband, and are more open to the life style and values of the American society. An analysis of the data collected provided the basis for future research on this phenomenon as well as some implications for couples, Coptic Orthodox Church leaders, and marriage counselors working with this population. v DEDICATION To my Lord Jesus Christ who is doing wonders with me every day. To my late mother, Fayza, the love river in my life. I feel your blessings as you smile upon me from Heaven. To my beloved wife, Manal. You are a very true compatible helper to me. Behind every successful man is a successful woman and you are that woman. To my two dear loving and understanding sons, Mark and Michael. I love you unconditionally. To H. H. Pope Shenouda III, the great teacher of many generations. To H. G. Bishop Paula, the open-minded and kind-hearted man. To all husbands and wives who believe in their marriage as a covenant and deal with their marital relationship as a sacramental relationship. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT My Heavenly Father and Creator, Lord my Father –God, thank you for blessing me each step of the way. Without You, nothing is possible. With You all things are possible. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Dr. Casile, my dissertation committee chair; his advice, support, direction, and outstanding reviews and insights have greatly contributed to the successful completion of this piece of work. In addition, Dr. Casile has been my advocate in many other aspects of my life, beginning with my admission to the Duquesne University School of Education up to the completion of my studies. I want to express my appreciation for the undivided support and encouragement of Dr. Hanna for not only being my dissertation committee member, but for being my anchor in my most trying times during my studies, and in my social life as well. Above all, Dr. Hanna has been a model counselor and educator for me. I want to extend special gratitude to Dr. Gregoire for taking time off his busy schedule to sit on my dissertation committee; his contribution, feedback, and encouragement have been an invaluable asset to me. My warmest thanks are extended to Dr. Levers for her continuous encouragement and for being a role model for me. I would like to say thank you to the professors in the counselor education and supervision program at Duquesne University; I have learned so much along this journey from each of you. I would like to thank Lori Jockel and Denise Clemente for their continued support. A special word of thanks is extended to my wife, Manal D. Mansour for her undivided love and support and for holding the port at home on my behalf—thank you vii very much. I am indebted to you forever. My deep appreciation goes to my two sons, Mark and Michael for their encouragement and care. My warmest gratitude is to father Roufail Yousif, the priest of St. George Coptic Orthodox Church in Norristown, Pennsylvania, for his support during data collection. Last, but not least, I would like to acknowledge the Coptic Orthodox Christian Egyptian-American husbands and wives who participated in my study, without them the completion of my dissertation would not have been possible. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Chapter 1: Introduction........................................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem.............................................................................................15 Significance of the Study.............................................................................................17 Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................................18 Research Questions......................................................................................................19 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework......................................................................20 Operational Definitions................................................................................................29 Summary......................................................................................................................30 Chapter II: Literature Review ............................................................................................31 Marriage.......................................................................................................................31 Christian Marriage .................................................................................................33 Coptic Orthodox Marriage.....................................................................................37 Divorce.........................................................................................................................40 Divorce Assumptions.............................................................................................41 Effects of Divorce..................................................................................................42 Divorce in the Coptic Orthodox Church................................................................45 ix Marital Satisfaction......................................................................................................46 Marital Satisfaction and Gender ............................................................................51 Marital Satisfaction and Marriage Length .............................................................54
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Invisiblity and Racial Ambiguity of Arab American Women
    INVISIBLITY AND RACIAL AMBIGUITY OF ARAB AMERICAN WOMEN “What Are You?” Racial Ambiguity, Belonging, and Well-being Among Arab American Women Laila Abdel-Salam Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy under the Executive Committee of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2021 INVISIBLITY AND RACIAL AMBIGUITY OF ARAB AMERICAN WOMEN © 2021 Laila Abdel-Salam All Rights Reserved INVISIBLITY AND RACIAL AMBIGUITY OF ARAB AMERICAN WOMEN Abstract “What Are You?” Racial Ambiguity, Belonging, and Well-being Among Arab American Women Laila Abdel-Salam Even within counseling psychology’s multicultural literature, attention to individuals of Arab descent remains narrow (Awad, 2010; Abdel-Salam, 2019). Despite counseling psychologists’ goals regarding multiculturally proficiency, the dearth of systematic empirical research on the counseling of Arab Americans remains conspicuous. The present study attempts to fill this gap by exploring the impact of racial ambiguity and legal invisibility on Arab Americans’ sense of belonging and well-being. This exploratory consensual qualitative research (CQR) investigation analyzed interview data from 13 non-veiled Arab American women. The interview probed their reactions to Arab Americans’ legal invisibility in the US, queried how they believed White people versus people of color racially perceived them, and examined their subsequent emotional responses and coping strategies. The study’s results revealed participants’ feelings of invisibility, invalidation and hurt when they were not recognized as a person of color (PoC) and brought the participants’ perpetual experience of exclusion to the forefront. The results not only have implications for professional practice and education but also for policy.
    [Show full text]
  • A Case Study of Arabic Heritage Learners and Their Community
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by South East Academic Libraries System (SEALS) “SPEAK AMERICAN!” OR LANGUAGE, POWER AND EDUCATION IN DEARBORN, MICHIGAN: A CASE STUDY OF ARABIC HERITAGE LEARNERS AND THEIR COMMUNITY BY KENNETH KAHTAN AYOUBY Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Education, the University of Port Elizabeth, in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor Educationis Promoter: Prof. Susan van Rensburg, Ph.D. The University of Port Elizabeth November 2004 ABSTRACT This study examines the history and development of the “Arabic as a foreign language” (AFL) programme in Dearborn Public Schools (in Michigan, the United States) in its socio-cultural and political context. More specifically, this study examines the significance of Arabic to the Arab immigrant and ethnic community in Dearborn in particular, but with reference to meanings generated and associated to Arabic by non- Arabs in the same locale. Although this study addresses questions similar to research conducted on Arab Americans in light of anthropological and sociological theoretical constructs, it is, however, unique in examining education and Arabic pedagogy in Dearborn from an Arab American studies and an educational multi-cultural perspective, predicated on/and drawing from Edward Said’s critique of Orientalism, Paulo Freire’s ideas about education, and Henry Giroux’s concern with critical pedagogy. In the American mindscape, the "East" has been the theatre of the exotic, the setting of the Other from colonial times to the present. The Arab and Muslim East have been constructed to represent an opposite of American culture, values and life.
    [Show full text]
  • Ruling America's Colonies: the Insular Cases Juan R
    YALE LAW & POLICY REVIEW Ruling America's Colonies: The Insular Cases Juan R. Torruella* INTRODUCTION .................................................................. 58 I. THE HISTORICAL BACKDROP TO THE INSULAR CASES..................................-59 11. THE INSULAR CASES ARE DECIDED ......................................... 65 III. LIFE AFTER THE INSULAR CASES.......................... .................. 74 A. Colonialism 1o ......................................................... 74 B. The Grinding Stone Keeps Grinding........... ....... ......................... 74 C. The Jones Act of 1917, U.S. Citizenship, and President Taft ................. 75 D. The Jones Act of 1917, U.S. Citizenship, and ChiefJustice Taft ............ 77 E. Local Self-Government v. Colonial Status...........................79 IV. WHY THE UNITED STATES-PUERTO Rico RELATIONSHIP IS COLONIAL...... 81 A. The PoliticalManifestations of Puerto Rico's Colonial Relationship.......82 B. The Economic Manifestationsof Puerto Rico's ColonialRelationship.....82 C. The Cultural Manifestationsof Puerto Rico's Colonial Relationship.......89 V. THE COLONIAL STATUS OF PUERTO Rico Is UNAUTHORIZED BY THE CONSTITUTION AND CONTRAVENES THE LAW OF THE LAND AS MANIFESTED IN BINDING TREATIES ENTERED INTO BY THE UNITED STATES ............................................................. 92 CONCLUSION .................................................................... 94 * Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. The substance of this Article was presented in
    [Show full text]
  • A Study of Yussef El Guindi's Drama
    Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Studies Copyright 2020 2020, Vol. 7, No. 3, 177-199 ISSN: 2149-1291 http://dx.doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/458 Combating 9/11 Negative Images of Arabs in American Culture: A Study of Yussef El Guindi’s Drama Mahmoud F. Alshetawi1 The University of Jordan Abstract: This study intends to examine the dramatic endeavours of Arab American playwrights to make their voices heard through drama, performance, and theatre in light of transnationalism and diaspora theory. The study argues that Arab American dramatists and theatre groups attempt to counter the hegemonic polemics against Arabs and Muslims, which have madly become characteristic of contemporary American literature and media following 9/11. In this context, this study examines Yussef El Guindi, an Egyptian-American, and his work. El Guindi has devoted most of his plays to fight the stereotypes that are persistently attributed to Arabs and Muslims, and his drama presents issues relating to identity formation and what this formation means to be Arab American. A scrutiny of these plays shows that El Guindi has dealt with an assortment of topics and issues all relating to the stereotypes of Arab Americans and the Middle East. These issues include racial profiling and surveillance, stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims in the cinema and theatre, and acculturation and clash of cultures. Keywords: acculturation, Arab American, diaspora, drama, identity formation, racial profiling, stereotypes theatre. Over the ages, Arabs and Muslims have been denigrated and stereotypically represented in almost all outlets of Western media: the cinema, literature and the press and other channels of expression.
    [Show full text]
  • The Effects of Acculturation Level and Parenting Styles on Parent-Child Relationships Within the Egyptian Culture" (2000)
    California State University, San Bernardino CSUSB ScholarWorks Theses Digitization Project John M. Pfau Library 2000 The effects of acculturation level and parenting styles on parent- child relationships within the Egyptian culture Jacqueline Sawires Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project Part of the Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, and the Multicultural Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Sawires, Jacqueline, "The effects of acculturation level and parenting styles on parent-child relationships within the Egyptian culture" (2000). Theses Digitization Project. 1708. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1708 This Project is brought to you for free and open access by the John M. Pfau Library at CSUSB ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses Digitization Project by an authorized administrator of CSUSB ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE EFFECTS OF ACCULTURATION LEVEL AND PARENTING STYLES ON PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE EGYPTIAN CULTURE A Project Presented to the Faculty of California State University, San Bernardino In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Social Work ;. ; ■ ■ V ' by. ■ ' Jacqueline Sawires June 2000 THE EFFECTS OF ACCULTURATION LEVEL AND PARENTING STYLES ON PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN THE EGYPTIAN CULTURE A Project Presented to the Faculty of California State University, San Bernardino by Jacqueline Sawires June 2000 Approved by: Dr. RosemarsHMCCaslin, Chair Ddte Research SeWence Date ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the parental level of acculturation and parenting styles on parent/child conflict among Egyptians since no research has been done in this area on this population.
    [Show full text]
  • Meleis, Afaf CV 2016.Pdf
    CURRICULUM VITAE Updated: March 2016 AFAF IBRAHIM MELEIS, PhD, DrPS (hon), FAAN Professor of Nursing and Sociology and Former Dean of Nursing CONTACT University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Claire M. Fagin Hall, Room 418 418 Curie Boulevard Philadelphia, PA 19104-4217 Tel: 215-746-5473 Email: [email protected] Blog: http://afafmeleis.blogspot.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/afafmeleis EDUCATION 1966-1968 University of California, Los Angeles (Sociology) PhD (1968) Dissertation: “Self-concept and family planning” 1964-1966 University of California, Los Angeles (Sociology) MA (1966) 1962-1964 University of California, Los Angeles (Nursing) MS (1964) 1957-1961 University of Alexandria, Egypt (Nursing) BS (1961) FACULTY POSITIONS 2015-present Honorary Visiting Professor School of Nursing, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia 2013-2017 Visiting Professor Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China 2010-2014 Honorary Professor University of Hong Kong School of Nursing 2008-2014 Adjunct Professor University of Technology, Sydney 2002-present Professor School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania 2002-present Professor Sociology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania 2007-present Visiting Professor School of Nursing, College of Health and Science, University of Western Sydney 2002-2005 Adjunct Professor School of Nursing, College of Health and Science, University of Western Sydney 1980-2002 Professor School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco 1977-1980 Associate Professor School of Nursing,
    [Show full text]
  • DEOMI STUDENT GUIDE 366 Tuskegee Airmen Drive EOA COURSE Patrick AFB, FL 32925 April 2015
    Obtained via FOIA by Judicial Watch, Inc. DEOMI STUDENT GUIDE 366 Tuskegee Airmen Drive EOA COURSE Patrick AFB, FL 32925 April 2015 EOA 4050 WHITE AMERICANS FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY DO NOT USE ON THE JOB Obtained via FOIA by Judicial Watch, Inc. Student Study Guide White Americans DEOMI April 2015 STUDENT STUDY GUIDE The references cited in this lesson are used for training purposes only and support the training objective. Referenced material from non-Federal Government sources may not be used for any purpose other than training. Unless specifically identified as a Department of Defense or other U.S. Government source, DEOMI does not endorse the content of any specific reference material, or the organization that is the source of the material. Reference materials from non-Federal sources are included in this material solely to expose students to varying points of view and to generate discussion. This lesson will provide the education needed to develop the occupational knowledge required to perform the duties of an Equal Opportunity Advisor (EOA). The content of this lesson is designed to increase student knowledge while generating academic discussions and debate. The content of this lesson should not be taken out of context. Lesson Overview The objective of the Ethnic Studies Series is to provide students with opportunities to increase their awareness of the history, socialization, values, religious beliefs, and contemporary issues of major American cultural subgroups that have significant impact on the military. In this lesson, students will learn about the White American racial category. Recommended Reading None References 1. Benson, S. (2004).
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnic Groups and Library of Congress Subject Headings
    Ethnic Groups and Library of Congress Subject Headings Jeffre INTRODUCTION tricks for success in doing African studies research3. One of the challenges of studying ethnic Several sections of the article touch on subject head- groups is the abundant and changing terminology as- ings related to African studies. sociated with these groups and their study. This arti- Sanford Berman authored at least two works cle explains the Library of Congress subject headings about Library of Congress subject headings for ethnic (LCSH) that relate to ethnic groups, ethnology, and groups. His contentious 1991 article Things are ethnic diversity and how they are used in libraries. A seldom what they seem: Finding multicultural materi- database that uses a controlled vocabulary, such as als in library catalogs4 describes what he viewed as LCSH, can be invaluable when doing research on LCSH shortcomings at that time that related to ethnic ethnic groups, because it can help searchers conduct groups and to other aspects of multiculturalism. searches that are precise and comprehensive. Interestingly, this article notes an inequity in the use Keyword searching is an ineffective way of of the term God in subject headings. When referring conducting ethnic studies research because so many to the Christian God, there was no qualification by individual ethnic groups are known by so many differ- religion after the term. but for other religions there ent names. Take the Mohawk lndians for example. was. For example the heading God-History of They are also known as the Canienga Indians, the doctrines is a heading for Christian works, and God Caughnawaga Indians, the Kaniakehaka Indians, (Judaism)-History of doctrines for works on Juda- the Mohaqu Indians, the Saint Regis Indians, and ism.
    [Show full text]
  • Multicultural America. Volume 2, the Arab Americans
    Multicultural America Volume II The Arab Americans Multicultural_Vol2Arab_F2.indd i 1/21/11 9:13:31 AM Multicultural_Vol2Arab_F2.indd ii 1/21/11 9:13:32 AM Multicultural America Volume II The Arab Americans Rodney P. Carlisle GENERAL EDITOR Multicultural_Vol2Arab_F2.indd iii 1/21/11 9:13:32 AM Multicultural America: Volume II: The Arab Americans Copyright © 2011 by Infobase Publishing All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact: Facts On File, Inc. An Imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York, NY 10001 ISBN 978-0-8160-7811-0 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-4381-3674-5 (e-book) Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Multicultural America / Rodney P. Carlisle, general editor. v. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. Contents: v. 1. The Hispanic Americans — v. 2. The Arab Americans — v. 3. The African Americans — v. 4. The Asian Americans — v. 5. The Jewish Americans — v. 6. The European Americans — v. 7. The Native Americans. ISBN 978-0-8160-7811-0 (v. 1 : hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8160-7812-7 (v. 2 : hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8160-7813-4 (v. 3 : hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8160-7814-1 (v. 4 : hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8160-7815-8 (v. 5 : hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8160-7816-5 (v. 6 : hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8160-7817-2 (v.
    [Show full text]
  • Renewing the American- Egyptian Alliance
    NOVEMBER 2017 / BRIEFING PAPER Renewing the American- Egyptian Alliance SAMUEL TADROS AND ERIC BROWN Renewing the American-Egyptian Alliance 1 © 2017 Hudson Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. For more information about obtaining additional copies of this or other Hudson Institute publications, please visit Hudson’s website, www.hudson.org. ABOUT HUDSON INSTITUTE Hudson Institute is a research organization promoting American leadership and global engagement for a secure, free, and prosperous future. Founded in 1961 by strategist Herman Kahn, Hudson Institute challenges conventional thinking and helps manage strategic transitions to the future through interdisciplinary studies in defense, international relations, economics, health care, technology, culture, and law. Hudson seeks to guide public policy makers and global leaders in government and business through a vigorous program of publications, conferences, policy briefings and recommendations. Visit www.hudson.org for more information. Hudson Institute 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Suite 400 Washington, D.C. 20004 P: 202.974.2400 [email protected] www.hudson.org Cover: Tahrir Square, Cairo, in the early morning. Photo Credit: Frank Schulenburg 2 HUDSON INSTITUTE NOVEMBER 2017 / BRIEFING PAPER Renewing the American- Egyptian Alliance SAMUEL TADROS AND ERIC BROWN ABOUT THE REPORT The following brief on Egypt is part of a series of occasional papers that assess the challenges and opportunities facing governments across North Africa and the Middle East. Specifically, these reports focus on those polities where political stability is increasingly threatened but which, under the right conditions, also hold the potential to become long-term U.S. allies. The analysis and recommendations contained in each brief are largely drawn from field research conducted by the authors, and from interviews with each polity’s political and military leaders, religious and secular actors, and academic community, among others.
    [Show full text]
  • Intergroup Relations Between Blacks and Latinos in Philadelphia, 1950S to 1980S
    “THE BATTLE FOR HARMONY”: INTERGROUP RELATIONS BETWEEN BLACKS AND LATINOS IN PHILADELPHIA, 1950S TO 1980S by Alyssa M. Ribeiro BS, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2004 MA, University of Pittsburgh, 2006 Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Pittsburgh 2013 UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH THE DIETRICH SCHOOL OF ARTS & SCIENCES This dissertation was presented by Alyssa M. Ribeiro It was defended on March 18, 2013 and approved by Laurence Glasco, Associate Professor, Department of History Lara Putnam, Associate Professor, Department of History Rob Ruck, Professor, Department of History Joe W. Trotter, Professor, Department of History, Carnegie Mellon University Dissertation Advisor: Edward K. Muller, Professor, Department of History ii Copyright © by Alyssa M. Ribeiro 2013 iii “THE BATTLE FOR HARMONY”: INTERGROUP RELATIONS BETWEEN BLACKS AND LATINOS IN PHILADELPHIA, 1950S TO 1980S Alyssa M. Ribeiro, PhD University of Pittsburgh, 2013 This dissertation is a case study that explores black and Latino relations in North Philadelphia neighborhoods from the 1950s through the 1980s. It draws upon community organization records, local government documents, newspapers, and oral histories. In the fifties and sixties, scarce housing, language barriers, Puerto Ricans’ ambiguous racial identity, and slow adaptation by local institutions contributed to racial tension and social segregation. But from the late sixties through the late seventies, black-Latino relationships markedly improved. During this crucial decade, blacks and Latinos increasingly drew upon their shared circumstances to form strategic alliances. They used grassroots organizing to pressure existing institutions, focusing on basic issues like schools, housing, and police.
    [Show full text]
  • Arabs, Copts, Egyptians, Americans
    File File File this issue through research into the history of Arab nation- answers were divided in half between those who do not alism in Egypt or the Copts in Egypt, I decided to carry out accept the term “Arab” as part of their identity (12 some action research among my various Egyptian American respondents), and those who accept it completely or friends and acquaintances. Using email, I posed several with a modified definition of the term (12 respondents). questions focused on how they understand their identities Those who rejected “Arab” included nine Christian as Egyptian Americans in June and July 2006. My questions females, one Muslim female, and one Christian male. asked about their understanding of an “Arab” identity, a Those who accepted “Arab” included seven Christian “Coptic” identity, a connection with ancient Egyptian roots, females, one Muslim female, one Coptic male, and one and how these various identities affect their lives as Muslim male. Egyptians living in America. Arabs, Copts, Egyptians, Americans Most of the respondents who identified with the term Albeit not a random or representative sample,1 I received 24 “Arab” identified with it in terms of a shared language and responses from the approximately 30 friends I contacted. culture that encompassed history, food, music, and so on. An Exploration of Identity in the Diaspora The insightfulness and passion of the responses took me by “I speak the language and share history with the Arabs,” surprise. Some responded by answering each question S.H., a Christian female, wrote, “The people that had to thoroughly; others by writing an essay about the topic, change their religion under oppression of the Arab rul[ers] touching upon the issues I raised in my questions.
    [Show full text]