Reconciling Hyphenated Identities: Muslim American Youth Reflect on College Life in the Midst of Islamophobia
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The University of San Francisco USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center Doctoral Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects 12-2019 Reconciling Hyphenated Identities: Muslim American Youth Reflect on College Life in the Midst of Islamophobia Diba Ataie University of San Francisco, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.usfca.edu/diss Part of the Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons Recommended Citation Ataie, Diba, "Reconciling Hyphenated Identities: Muslim American Youth Reflect on College Life in the Midst of Islamophobia" (2019). Doctoral Dissertations. 517. https://repository.usfca.edu/diss/517 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 RECONCILING HYPHENATED IDENTITIES: MUSLIM AMERICAN YOUTH REFLECT ON COLLEGE LIFE IN THE MIDST OF ISLAMOPHOBIA A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the School of Education Department of International & Multicultural Education Human Rights Education Concentration In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education by Diba Ataie San Francisco, California December 2019 1 THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO DISSERTATION ABSTRACT Reconciling Hyphenated Identities: Muslim American Youth Reflect on College Life in the Midst of Islamophobia Muslims make up more than 1.8 billion people of the world population and have been displaced globally in waves due to the geopolitical tension in their homeland. The tragedy of 9/11 forever changed the landscape of this nation for Muslim Americans and created hostility and fear. Islamophobia has been on the rise since the post- 9/11 era, but due to the 2016 election cycle Muslim Americans have been placed under direct scrutiny. Muslim Americans were targeted and threatened with a Muslim registry and implementation of a Muslim Ban to further ostracize them. The post- 9/11 generation of Muslim American youth were the subjects of this study. The qualitative case study of UC Berkeley’s Muslim American college students focused on the impact as well as the responses to Islamophobia. The framework of this paper includes the effects of Islamophobia at the macro-level (national policies), at the meso-level (local campus culture), and micro-level (individual responses). This project documents the complex reconciliation process of Muslim American youth as they brilliantly negotiate their nuanced hyphenated identity. The study also highlights their experience both inside and outside the Muslim community. The testimonials of the respondents are articulate and unapologetic and provide unprecedented access and information about the challenges of a poly-cultural identity. The study also focuses on the protective factors such as the details of creating the grant that funded the Muslim Mental Health Initiative and other coping strategies. Ultimately this dissertation documents the process of reclaiming the honor and dignity of the Muslim community through means of political activism, teaching research, publications and mental 2 health services. It also directs scholars to fill gaps in research among a burgeoning population of the post- 9/11 generations to come as well as the need for studies on social media and males. ______________________________ _____________________________ Diba Ataie, Author Dr. Monisha Bajaj, Chairperson, Dissertation Committee 3 DEDICATION I begin my dedication in the name of Allah SWT as I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to undertake such a challenge. Second, I am indebted to my parents, Mariam Amini Ataie and Gul Mohammad Ataie, as you both have instilled service and sacrifice to help others achieve their dreams through education. Thank you both for trusting me in pursuing my passion and dream of serving my Muslim community through psychological services and education. I have also met the love of my life throughout my dissertation journey, Ahmadreza Hatamipour, and have felt supported and inspired by your mentorship and know that I would not have completed this last stage of the dissertation if it wasn’t for your constant encouragement and positive role modeling. To my new parents, Shahla Jalayer and Manucher Hatamipour, you both have nourished me and praised my intention of serving my Muslim community when I felt depleted and almost lost myself in this massive endeavor. To my womb-mate and twin sister, Wajma Ataie, I am so appreciative of your time and dedication to helping me push through the final phase. Thank you for seeing the success at times when I didn’t, but more importantly, thank you for reminding me of the application of Islam and moving through each moment with humility. I am so proud of your accomplishments of serving refugees and easing the pain of others through your work in public schools and through your passion of re-building community through interfaith work. To my baby sister, Yalda Ataie, even though you now have your own baby Ozan, you will always be my baby. I am awestruck by your generosity and giving nature as an MD, thank you for all your love and care in everything that you do! To my older sisters, Marina and Frishta, thank you for introducing me to USF and paving the path for academic excellence. To my friends who have held me strong and helped me laugh when I wanted to cry! I love you all and thank you Gihad, Gulpana, Manizha, Tuba, Cuynet, Kerem (for your success 4 desk:) and for your interest in my dissertation and support. To Betty Yamamoto, thank you for your everlasting emotional support when I just need a voice of reason and compassion, you have always been there for me! To my guardian angel Amal Crespo, I love your soul and could not have written the literature review without you and your gentle guidance and flow of the entire paper. To my first graduate chair, Dr. Rasbury, thank you for helping me cross the finish line in my work on Afghan-Americans, I thought I would never do this again, but never say never! I love you all and thank you all for believing in me and giving me the strength to believe in this! 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research is dedicated to all the Muslims and non-Muslims that I have come in contact with and people whom I may never meet! I would also like to take a moment to recognize the immense contributions of the scholars who have enlightened my dissertation journey. This study would not be possible without the foundation and legacy of the academic heroes who have documented their internal dialogue while also giving voice to the marginalized members of society. To the chair of my doctoral dissertation, Dr. Monisha Bajaj, thank you for your courage in taking on a topic that is controversial and challenging. I am grateful for your style of holding your students gently accountable, while striking the balance of being inspirational. I knew I needed a strong personality who lives with social justice which runs through your veins, I know I can count on you when I want to address atrocities because of your dedication to human rights. To my second reader, Dr. Susan Katz, thank you for the meticulous attention to detail in editing my dissertation and ensuring that the reader would be left with a greater sense of clarity! I appreciate the holistic process of going through the paper to ensure simplicity and I also appreciate your positive feedback and suggestions, which I will cherish and preserve. To my self-selected expert on the Muslim community, Dr. Saera Khan, I am so honored that you have taken the time out of your busy life, in the department of psychology, to add your brilliant feedback. I respect and honor you for your constructive and collaborative approach and you always push my writing a little further each time we come together. This has been an enormous undertaking for me and I would not be able to do this work without the youthful thriving Muslim American respondents who have entrusted me with all their treasures. 6 SIGNATURE PAGE 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. Diba Ataie, December 5, 2019 __________ Candidate Dissertation Committee: Monisha Bajaj, Ed.D. December 5, 2019___________ Chairperson, Dissertation Committee Susan Katz, Ph.D December 5, 2019___________ Advisor, Dissertation Committee Saera Khan, Ph.D. December 5, 2019___________ Advisor, Dissertation Committee 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS DISSERTATION ABSTRACT.......................................................................................................1 DEDICATION..................................................................................................................................3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................5 SIGNATURE PAGE.........................................................................................................................6