The United States Constitution allows individuals to practice any religion they choose. However, ... more The United States Constitution allows individuals to practice any religion they choose. However, the austerity of this right is tested when an individual’s belief is publicly displayed. For Muslim women wearing the hijab, or headscarf, the intersection between private religious practice and its social expression is explored on a daily basis. To fully understand the manifestation of public religious expression, this paper examines a series of interviews with 35 hijab-wearing Muslim women living in the United States. By exploring the lived experiences of Muslim-American women, this paper highlights the broader issues of the media’s influence on perceptions of Muslim culture, the complex and often unclear legality of religious symbols in the workplace, and the barriers that exist for hijab-wearing women in the workplace. With the rise of Islamophobia, the participants found a stronger sense to exert their right to express their religious identities. Moreover, the women interviewed demo...
This study explores the experiences and the effects of employment discrimination on Muslim Americ... more This study explores the experiences and the effects of employment discrimination on Muslim American women who don the hijab. I will explore issues dealing with realities when one expresses a religious identity in the workplace. For Muslim American women, discrimination is particularly challenging because of the various forms of oppressions experienced. Social experiences are based on a person's gender, race, and religious identities. Conducting a series of interviews this study will provide accounts of women who have been victims of discrimination and the effects on their mental health. Exploring ways in which Muslim women perceive their spiritual selves within a marginalized society, the participants in this research emphasize the importance of utilizing Islamic coping strategies. Specifically, I will illustrate examples of how the interviewees cope using Islamic spirituality or forms of worship. I will look into the role of psychotherapeutic techniques or other methods of healing oneself. According to my interviews, Muslim women are not passive recipients of discrimination and reflect on various methods of psycho-spiritual resistance. Particularly important Muslim women in this research find that faith-based coping generate positive definitions of self-valuation. This chapter provides research into the importance of self-identification within the framework of discrimination and ways in which Islamic coping strategies provide healing.
The United States Constitution allows individuals to practice any religion they choose. However, ... more The United States Constitution allows individuals to practice any religion they choose. However, the austerity of this right is tested when an individual’s belief is publicly displayed. For Muslim women wearing the hijab, or headscarf, the intersection between private religious practice and its social expression is explored on a daily basis. To fully understand the manifestation of public religious expression, this paper examines a series of interviews with 35 hijab-wearing Muslim women living in the United States. By exploring the lived experiences of Muslim-American women, this paper highlights the broader issues of the media’s influence on perceptions of Muslim culture, the complex and often unclear legality of religious symbols in the workplace, and the barriers that exist for hijab-wearing women in the workplace. With the rise of Islamophobia, the participants found a stronger sense to exert their right to express their religious identities. Moreover, the women interviewed demo...
This study explores the experiences and the effects of employment discrimination on Muslim Americ... more This study explores the experiences and the effects of employment discrimination on Muslim American women who don the hijab. I will explore issues dealing with realities when one expresses a religious identity in the workplace. For Muslim American women, discrimination is particularly challenging because of the various forms of oppressions experienced. Social experiences are based on a person's gender, race, and religious identities. Conducting a series of interviews this study will provide accounts of women who have been victims of discrimination and the effects on their mental health. Exploring ways in which Muslim women perceive their spiritual selves within a marginalized society, the participants in this research emphasize the importance of utilizing Islamic coping strategies. Specifically, I will illustrate examples of how the interviewees cope using Islamic spirituality or forms of worship. I will look into the role of psychotherapeutic techniques or other methods of healing oneself. According to my interviews, Muslim women are not passive recipients of discrimination and reflect on various methods of psycho-spiritual resistance. Particularly important Muslim women in this research find that faith-based coping generate positive definitions of self-valuation. This chapter provides research into the importance of self-identification within the framework of discrimination and ways in which Islamic coping strategies provide healing.
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Papers by Fatima Koura