Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Dissertations Graduate College 8-2017 From the Arab World to the American World: Transition and Adjustment Experiences of Muslim Women Nancy Hammoudah Western Michigan University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations Part of the Counseling Commons Recommended Citation Hammoudah, Nancy, "From the Arab World to the American World: Transition and Adjustment Experiences of Muslim Women" (2017). Dissertations. 3172. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/3172 This Dissertation-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FROM THE ARAB WORLD TO THE AMERICAN WORLD: TRANSITION AND ADJUSTMENT EXPERIENCES OF MUSLIM WOMEN by Nancy Hammoudah A dissertation submitted to the Graduate College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology Western Michigan University August 2017 Doctoral Committee: Patrick H. Munley, Ph.D., Chair Mary Z. Anderson, Ph.D. Mark St. Martin, Ph.D. FROM THE ARAB WORLD TO THE AMERICAN WORLD: TRANSITION AND ADJUSTMENT EXPERIENCES OF MUSLIM WOMEN Nancy Hammoudah, Ph.D. Western Michigan University, 2017 This qualitative study explored the experiences of Muslim women from the Arab world who came to live and study in the U.S. This study gave voice to their daily lived experiences of transitioning to and adjusting to life and study in the American world. Nine bilingual women provided in depth responses to interviews and follow up phone calls. Women were raised in predominantly Muslim countries and attended institutions of higher education for the first time in the U.S. as international or domestic students, including refugees. Interviews were in English. Any spontaneous Arabic that was used by participants was immediately translated by the bilingual researcher and verified for accuracy with the participant. The constructivist and critical ideologist paradigms shaped this phenomenological research. Low inference descriptors and direct quotes were primarily used to tell their story. Their story began from the point in time before they left their home country to the present time when they were interviewed. Seven themes emerged from the stories of the women in this study. Themes were grouped into three processes of transitioning, adjusting, and succeeding. In the transitioning process, women paint a picture of what life was like for them back home and when they first made the move to the U.S. This process included the themes titled (1) It’s hard to say goodbye, which was about complicated goodbyes, and (2) Just like in the movies?, which was about the differences between expectations and reality they experienced. In the adjusting process, women describe how they adjusted over time and experienced many challenges including discrimination. This process included the themes titled (3) I miss this, which was about the life they missed from back home, and (4) Life in America is hard work, which was about hard work and effort they were making in their life here. In the succeeding process, women shared the final part of their story on what aided or eased their adjustment and led to success. This process included the themes titled (5) Home away from home, which was about how they successfully coped with the loss of family and friends by developing their social support network here, (6) Inner strength and independence, which was about how they developed through faith, advocacy, and skills, and (7) Respect and understanding, which was about how changes occurred over time in their views on discrimination, America and Americans, people back home, and their own selves. A recipe for success emerged from the stories of these women, as well as requests from them for others to accept and accommodate them. Connections to the literature on discrimination and the media, acculturation, ethnic identity, and religious identity are made in the discussion, as well as recommendations for higher education, psychology, counseling, and future research. A strong recommendation for individuals working with this population was given to become familiar with the requests women in this study made for acceptance and for accommodations. Keywords: Muslim women, Islam, Arab, Arabic, refugees, international students, higher education, counseling, psychology, discrimination, acculturation, ethnic identity, religious identity ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ﺑﺴﻢ ﷲ اﻟ ﱠﺮﺣﻤﺎن اﻟ ﱠﺮ ﺣﻲ Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir-Rahiim “In the name of God, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful.” In Islam, it is encouraged to begin an endeavor with the words, Bismillaahir-Rahmaanir- Rahiim (in the name of God, Most Beneficent, Most Merciful), Alhamdulillah (all praises and thanks be to God Almighty), or purely Bismillah (in the name of God). Peace and blessings to those who have supported and aided me in this journey of mine. To my family, my dissertation chair, my dissertation committee, my colleagues, and my friends. I love and cherish you all. I feel that Allah sent each of you to help me in this life. I believe the best thanks I can give you is to pray privately from the depth of my heart to see goodness come to you and your loved ones. Nancy Hammoudah ii Copyright by Nancy Hammoudah 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...........................................................................................................ii CHAPTER I: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ..............................................................................1 Overview of Chapter I .........................................................................................1 Islam .....................................................................................................................3 Beliefs of Islam ........................................................................................4 Embracing Islam ......................................................................................7 Women in Islam .......................................................................................11 Resources on Islam ..................................................................................14 Arab ......................................................................................................................16 Terminology .............................................................................................16 Arabic Defining “Arab” ...........................................................................18 Arab Muslim Immigrants .....................................................................................20 Immigrant Demographics ........................................................................20 Population Statistics .................................................................................24 Higher Education Statistics ......................................................................27 Media and Public Image ......................................................................................31 American Image of Arab World ..............................................................32 Arab Image of American World ..............................................................34 Discrimination Towards Arabs and Muslims ......................................................36 iii Table of Contents---Continued CHAPTER Discrimination Reports ............................................................................37 Impact on Migration ................................................................................43 Response to Discrimination .....................................................................45 Transition and Adjustment of Arab Muslim Women ..........................................47 Literature Base .........................................................................................48 Acculturation ............................................................................................50 Identity .....................................................................................................57 Acculturative Stress .................................................................................64 The Research Gap ................................................................................................72 Purpose of this Study ...........................................................................................74 Research Questions ..............................................................................................75 II. METHODS ..................................................................................................................77 Research Paradigm ...............................................................................................78 Research Methodology ........................................................................................79 Participants ...........................................................................................................80 Criterion Selection ...................................................................................80 Recruitment ..............................................................................................82 Setting ......................................................................................................85