عنوان

Reading Jihad:

TLpq1039138435

انگلیسی

Reading Jihad:

[Thesis]

Rohany Nayan

The Identity Enactment and Literacy Practices of Muslim Immigrant Children in the United States

C. Compton-Lilly

The University of Wisconsin - Madison

2012

372

Ph.D.

The University of Wisconsin - Madison

2012

This dissertation manuscript reports on a study that explored the ways in which the focal children in three Muslim immigrant families enacted identity by way of literacy practice. This study set out to construct a better understanding of Muslim American immigrant families by providing a "thick description" of their identity performance through literacy and identity practices. This may provide us with ways in which cross cultural conflict may be assuaged and culturally relevant educative practices may be developed for Muslim children in the United States. Drawing on sociocultural theories of identity and literacy, data analysis was conducted at two layers: 1) an individual case analysis, and 2) a cross case analysis to identify emergent themes that were common across multiple cases. The central question that drove this research asked, "How do children in Muslim immigrant families enact their identities through literacy practices and identity practices?" More specifically the questions were: What identities are salient to the children of Muslim immigrants and their families?; How are the salient identities enacted through their identity and literacy practices?; What are the educational implications of these performed identities for teaching Muslim children? Findings indicated that these Muslim immigrant families were heavily invested in their Islamic and cultural identities in the American context. They maintained these salient identities while working towards school success and nurturing positive identity at a time when the Muslim identity carries a stigma. Findings further indicated that the Muslim immigrant children and their families enacted their salient identities: religious, cultural, academic and familial identities through participating in literacy practices such as acquiring Qur'anic literacy, using and producing artifacts, telling stories, and engaging in e- Mersion by using digital media. In addition they also engaged in identity enactments such as building homophilic networks of like minded people, making nostalgic alignments by maintaining home country practices and symbolisms in the home of adopted country, labeling majority cultural practices as a means to police the children's interactions with the majority culture, and living their faith by adhering to the strictures of their religion.

Culture

Education

Identity

Immigrants

Philosophy, religion and theology

Social sciences

C. Compton-Lilly

Rohany Nayan

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y