Help KufiGirl With Her Thesis

by HijabMan :: posted 2 March 09

KufiGirl is working on her thesis. Here’s her call for participants, please help her!

“Hi. I’m a graduate student in International and Comparative Education, writing my thesis on the experiences of first-generation American Muslims in U.S. high schools. I am seeking 15-25 young American-educated Muslims, from immigrant families, to interview over the next few months. If you would be willing to help me, I would love to talk to you.

Rather than interview current high school students, I would like to talk to 20-something(ish) folks, who presumably can look back and reflect on their high school experience with a bit of critical distance. Specifically, I am looking for those who fit into all three of the following categories:

- Young Muslims. I realize both those terms are hard to pin down (is someone over 30 “young”? is someone who isn’t devout still “Muslim”?), so I will leave it to you to decide whether or not you identify this way. If you consider yourself Muslim but only in the cultural or secular sense, that’s fine. (My only caveat is that if you have made a permanent, no-regrets break with Islam in an Ayaan Hirsi Ali sort of way, your experience probably falls outside the scope of what I’m doing here.)

- You have at least one immigrant Muslim parent. I will definitely be looking at the impact of indigenous/convert Muslims on Islamic expression in North America, but for the purpose of these interviews, my focus is on Muslims from immigrant families.

- You attended an American high school. You might have also attended school(s) elsewhere, but at least part of your high school education was in the United States.

I am especially interested in talking to LGBT folks and those who are affiliated with the taqwacore movement (musicians and other artists, but also fans).

If you choose to participate, drop me a note at cartography at gmail dot com, letting me know you’re interested in being interviewed. I will ask you to fill out one short questionnaire online, and then contact you by phone or e-mail (your preference) in the next month or two. I hope to have 2-3 conversations or e-mail exchanges per participant. All identifying information will be kept confidential.

I hope to hear from you, and many thanks!”

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1. KufiGirl at 2 March 09 :: #

   It was pointed out to me that “first generation American” is a confusing term. (I originally had “second generation immigrant,” but I was told that was also confusing. :))

   To clarify: I’m looking to talk to people who grew up in the United States, whose parents who grew up elsewhere.

   I’m trying to avoid saying “born in the United States,” because I know a lot of people who weren’t technically born here, but still fit the above description in every other way. I’m also trying to avoid defining “American” in terms of literal citizenship (i.e. what passport a person holds). If anyone has more questions about this, they can e-mail me at the address above.

   Thanks to those who’ve responded so far!