Conference

Muslim Women in Higher Education

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to better understand how a sample of Muslim women at a large, Midwestern, research university construct their identities and how the campus climate influences and interacts with the construction of their social identities. There is currently a gap in the literature relating to the experiences of Muslim women in college that I hope to begin to fill through this research. The research questions that will guide this study are: (1) How do Muslim women enrolled in a large research institution in the Midwest United States understand and explain the development of their identity? (2) How does the context of the campus environment play a role in the identity development of Muslim women attending a large research university in the Midwest United States? (3) What factors influence how Muslim women at a large research university make decisions about the extent to which they participate in Islamic religious rituals such as wearing a headscarf and adhering to the five pillars of Islam? The findings from this study will help to inform student affairs professionals, students, staff, and faculty of the perceptions, views, and experiences of Muslim women in a university environment.