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This article investigates the evolving landscape of religious agitation in the digital age, focusing specifically on the religious propaganda activities of female bloggers in the USA and Europe. In today's society, religious discourse is increasingly being held on various social media channels, shaping a new trend in religious agitation. Muslim female bloggers are emerging as influential voices on these platforms, employing diverse preaching methods and discussing certain feminine topics aimed at Muslim women. This research employs a mix of quantitative, qualitative, and empirical methodologies to discover the peculiarities of the sermons delivered by them. An extensive analysis was performed to evaluate their rising influence, audience interaction, and how they differ from their male counterparts. Additionally, this study examines how Muslim female bloggers are transforming the face of the Islamic call in the USA and Europe by adopting a feminist approach. Importantly, our research work highlights the activities of non-hijabi Muslim bloggers who are influencing Western Muslim women in social media. We examine the religious discourse of Western female and male Muslim bloggers by juxtaposing their preaching activities. Besides, a comparison is made between the female Muslim bloggers in Western regions and the Islamic world. This article underscores the profound influence of social media on religious discourse and highlights their contributions to religious discourse in the digital age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how American Muslim comedy is situated and constructed at the intersections of Orientalist tropes, racial projects, secular ideologies, gender discourses, and umma paradigms. This article unpacks the different histories and genealogies of the genre, and encourages the reader to attend to its polysemy and polymorphism. Drawing upon Hall and Sayyid, this article argues that the notion of "Muslim comedy" is multifaceted, elastic and shifting. It introduces the reader to some of the many voices and trajectories since Preacher Moss' pioneering work at the turn of the 21st century. Furthermore, this article shows how the increasing academic interest in Muslim comedy fits in the current study of Islam in America and how it might further the study of religion and humor in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research documents extensive Islamophobia and discrimination against Muslims in the United States. The current study seeks to better understand the discrimination experienced by Muslims and its mental health consequences in comparison to that experienced within a general sample of Americans. Using data from an original national survey of 700 American adults and an oversample of 300 Muslims, our analyses indicate elevated levels of perceived discrimination among Muslims (both White and non-White), relative to White non-Muslims, and comparable to that experienced by non-Muslim racial/ethnic minorities. Furthermore, Muslims report higher rates of depressive symptoms than Christians and non-religious individuals, and this mental health disparity is fully explained by Muslims' greater perceived discrimination. These findings suggest that the racialization of Muslims in the United States is a public health concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Racial socialization refers to the process through which children come to understand their own and others' racial identities, roles, and positions in various contexts, and how race will function in their lives. Although research on the racialization of Islam is growing, the socialization of racialized religious identities is less understood. This article draws on two years of ethnographic and interview data collected among Muslim American families whose children were enrolled in Islamic private schools in suburban Metro Detroit during the 2016 presidential election season. Within this political milieu, second-generation Muslim American parents engaged in what I term religious racial socialization. I show how the process of protecting children from the harms of Islamophobia meant practicing both cultural socialization and preparation for bias with the aid of Islamic schools and mosques. Yet, because the process is incapable of completely buffering against Islamophobia, parents' strategies highlight the tension of individual survival strategies within the context of existing religious-racial hierarchies, offering Muslim American children uncertain safety. The findings from this study contribute to family studies by showing how for some religiously minoritized populations, the processes of racial, religious, and political socialization are not only inextricably linked but are also co-constitutive and mutually reinforcing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their situatedness in a particular Western English-speaking environment, African American Muslims primarily received, engaged with, and employed the Qur'an through the vehicle of English translations. Contrary to what is often assumed, the Qur'an has played a key role in the formulation of the doctrines of the various African American Muslim movements, including among early representatives, such as the Nation of Islam. What is more, different interpretations and translations of the Qur'an have informed doctrinal differences, institutional formations, and internal disputes among African American Muslims. This article provides an overview of the usage and, arguably, the politics of English Qur'an translations in different African American Muslim movements from the early twentieth century until the present. In addition, it introduces and analyses the works of the first Qur'an translators from amongst the ranks of African American Muslim movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how Islamic feminism, with its emphasis on embodied experiences as sources of religious knowledge, has shaped the interpretive community of US Muslim women at the Women's Mosque of America (WMA). I discuss two trends in Islamic feminist approaches to ethics: one that models a Qur'an-centrism, and the other that incorporates the jurisprudential tradition to suggest gender-egalitarian readings of legal principles. In practice, these trends are not mutually exclusive, and Muslims draw on both to engage ethical questions in ways that are contextually bound. As the Friday khutbah is an important site for cultivating Islamic feminist ethics, I draw on two WMA khutbahs as my source material. The first focuses on how to interpret the Qur'an, and the second, on Islamic ethical perspectives on abortion. I argue that the interpretive community of US Muslim women at the WMA produces new forms of Islamic feminist ethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the appraisal system of Saba Fathima's speech "Making Spaces for Muslim Voices" at TEDx Talk to understand Fathima's attitude regarding the Muslim American voices. Utilizing the qualitative approach, this study employs Martin and White's Appraisal Theory. It collects the data by dividing the speech into clauses and examines them based on three elements of appraisal's attitude such as affect, judgment, and appreciation. The attitude can also be divided into positive and negative attitude. The findings demonstrate that the most common attitude used by Saba Fathima is judgement (55%), followed by affect (41%) and appreciation (4%). It implies that Fathima prefers to show the assessment of experience she faced as Muslim American rather than emphasizing her appreciation. Additionally, she shows more positive attitude than the negative one, implying her optimism toward the future of Muslim American. The study shows how Saba Fathima strategically arranges the words and structures her speech to build an interpersonal relationship with her audiences. By carefully selecting the diction, she effectively communicates her messages and thoughts, influences the audience's perspective, and creates meaningful interactions. This study also highlights her ability to convey a shared responsibility in addressing the issues faced by Muslim Americans. In conclusion, the study underscores the importance of rhetorical strategies in producing persuasive and impactful speeches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that as the profession of the imam continues to evolve and grow in the US, American Muslims utilize trusted Muslim networks and contacts, referred to here as a Muslim Rolodex , as an indispensable component of evaluating and hiring imams. To illustrate this, we put qualitative coding and analysis of resumes for an imam search at a Boston mosque in conversation with its job announcement, promotional material, and a case study conducted by a third party on this imam hiring process. We examine all of this submitted material to understand what US Muslims and institutions value and expect when choosing a leader to represent their congregations. Our findings indicate that the Rolodex is commonly leveraged by Muslims across the country to assess potential imams, who largely continue to prioritize and emphasize their believed traditional Islamic values in their job applications and styles of pastoral leadership. Resumen: Este artículo sostiene que a medida que la profesión del imán continúa evolucionando y creciendo en los EE. UU., los musulmanes estadounidenses utilizan redes y contactos musulmanes confiables, denominados aquí archivo rotativo musulmán, como un componente indispensable para evaluar y contratar imanes. Para ilustrar esto, comparamos la codificación y el análisis cualitativo de los currículums de una búsqueda de imán en una mezquita de Boston con su anuncio de trabajo, material promocional y un estudio de caso realizado por un tercero sobre este proceso de contratación de imanes. Examinamos todo el material presentado para comprender qué valoran y esperan los musulmanes y las instituciones estadounidenses al elegir un líder para representar a sus congregaciones. Nuestros hallazgos indican que los musulmanes de todo el país suelen utilizar el archivo rotativo para evaluar a los imanes potenciales, quienes en gran medida continúan priorizando y enfatizando los valores islámicos tradicionales que creen en sus solicitudes de empleo y estilos de liderazgo pastoral. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some immigrants become more religious after migration due to isolation, marginalization, and difficulties adjusting to a new culture. The purpose of this research is twofold: to explore the level of religiosity among Kyrgyzstani migrants who self-identify as religious and to ascertain the extent to which Muslim Kyrgyz in the United States are able to fulfill their religious yearnings. The data are drawn from a survey of Kyrgyz migrants in the Chicago metropolitan area. This study sheds light on the diversity of the Muslim community, demonstrating that former Soviet Muslims practice Islam in ways that are different from other Muslims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on qualitative data from a large study exploring Muslim experiences in the workplace, this chapter explains how Muslim dress standards inform identity and are influenced by US cultural ideals about self-presentation and perceived anti-Muslim hostility. Theoretical sampling was used to find 25 men and 59 women, 32 of whom are veiled. These individuals worked at major corporations as numerical minorities or held professions where they encountered non-Muslims regularly. Informed by theories of orientalism and social identity, findings examine hegemonic representations of organizational power and describe how men could employ masculine practices to navigate anti-Muslim discourse and foster a sense of belonging at work. Within immigrant-centered workplaces, women face cultural backlash for appropriating Western styles deemed immodest. While working outside their community, women who wore hijabs emphasized their femininity through softer colors, makeup, or "unpinning" their veil to offset the visceral reaction to their hijab. Thus, adapting to workplace dress expectations is structured by intersections of gender, religion, and workplace location. This chapter illustrates how Muslim dress strategies indirectly reflect how Western standards of dress, behavior, and self-expression determine qualifications and approachability within workplace structures, marginalizing Muslims and reproducing racial and gender hierarchies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between wearing the hijab – a key spiritual practice for many Muslim females – and discrimination among a community sample of American Muslim women. The logistic regression results revealed that women who wore the hijab more frequently were more likely to experience religious discrimination during the past year. Other significant predictors of discrimination were English language proficiency and respondents' Islamic tradition. The implications of the findings are discussed for direct practice with Muslim women in tandem with the need to create a cultural milieu that honors the right of women to wear the hijab free from harassment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does American identity predict preferences for anti-democratic policies that aim to marginalize Muslim Americans? Absent significant priming of inclusive elements of American identity, we argue that individuals with stronger attachments to American identity will be less likely than their counterparts to reject a range of anti-Muslim policies that are antithetical to principles of religious liberty and equality. Across three surveys and multiple measures, American identity powerfully predicts preferences for curbing the civil liberties of Muslim citizens. Particularly striking is the finding that the effect of American identity spans the partisan divide; it consistently explains the endorsement of exclusionary policies among self-identified Democrats, who typically hold more progressive policy positions toward minority groups than Republicans. Overall, our study highlights the contradictory and exclusionary nature of American identity, which has important implications for minority groups constructed as outside the boundaries of Americanness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Muslim modest fashion is experiencing unprecedented growth in the fashion industry, driven by young Muslim women consumers worldwide expressing interest in this market segment. Yet, few scholars have examined women entrepreneurs who created modest Islamic fashion brands and their experiences launching and sustaining their businesses, particularly how their intersectional identities inform their business practices and outcomes. Therefore, we asked, (1) Why and how did Muslim women entrepreneurs start their modest fashion brands? (2) What are their experiences starting and sustaining their modest fashion brands; and (3) How do agency, intersectionality, and oppression intersect with these women's experiences? To understand the lived experiences of these entrepreneurs, we conducted oral histories with three Muslim women entrepreneurs. Following thematic analysis using open, axial, and selective coding, we identified numerous themes that help explain their entrepreneurial experiences. Overall, the women started their businesses to create the much-needed space for Muslim women in the fashion system as modest fashion was largely non-existent. The women started with a few products and largely one target market in mind, yet expanded to other religions that embody modesty values. In sustaining their businesses, the owners were highly controlling and involved in every aspect of their business. They expressed starting and sustaining their business was difficult due to their lack of experience, the time intensity of running their business, and difficulty in finding funding. Additionally, they had added layers of White supremacy in these experiences as women of color business owners. Yet, they expressed numerous successful strategies including centering the nuanced Muslim woman identity in product design and marketing. Their consumers expressed much ambivalence in that they loved and criticized the brands for various reasons. The entrepreneurs certainly focused their business on Muslim identities, but also had heightened awareness and attention to environmental justice given the state of the fashion system and its negative contributions to the environment. Overall, through this research, we demonstrate how these entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of starting and sustaining their niche businesses amidst the oppressive cultural environment for American Muslim women in a post-9/11 context within a capitalist framework. Individuals looking to develop businesses catering to marginalized communities can utilize our findings to educate themselves on oppressive environments they may encounter in the future and navigate the tightrope of criticism and love from marginalized consumers looking to buy their products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn the United States, hate crimes that are motivated by religious bias disproportionately impact minoritized religious groups. This study investigates religious ecological predictors of hate crimes against Jews and Muslims in the US, drawing on theories of religion and intergroup offending. Measures of areal religious composition and change are drawn from two waves of the US Religion Census. Multilevel logistic regression models predict incidence of anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate crimes across county-years (2010–2018), adjusting for law enforcement agency coverage, hate crime reporting, and social and political factors. Christian adherence and overall religious diversity are associated with lower incidence of anti-Jewish hate crime. Jewish and Muslim adherence are positively associated with anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate crime, respectively, and counties undergoing relatively large increases in Muslim adherence have heightened incidence of anti-Muslim hate crime. Implications for theory and policy, as well as opportunities for future research, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article surveys the state of research on Islamic chaplaincy in North America. These studies analyze the development of the profession in light of the unique spiritual, emotional, and socio‐political challenges faced by Muslims in the U.S. and Canada. Despite its novelty, this field of research spans multiple academic disciplines, including religious studies, sociology, psychology, anthropology, history, and theology. An examination of existing scholarship on Islamic chaplaincy highlights several recurrent topics of inquiry, including the roles and responsibilities of Muslim chaplains, professionalization of Islamic chaplaincy, the negotiation of Muslim women's authority, and Islamic spiritual care as a theology of engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing studies have shown that a significant portion of women in mosques of the United States are dissatisfied with the way mosques are run. However, despite the rapidly growing number of purpose-built mosques in the US, little empirical research has investigated the impact of current spatial and physical features of these buildings on women. Using data from 422 blogposts and 13 semi-structured interviews with a diverse group of Muslim women, this study examines the psychological impact of common architectural characteristics of contemporary American mosques on women's sense of place. The study reveals that building affordances of accessibility, functional fit, and aesthetics in mosques enable a breadth of emotions and cognitive meanings that form women's sense of place. Findings suggest that care must be taken when designing new mosques to promote women's positive place experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Books Received Volume 44 (4)" in "Contemporary Jewry" features a diverse collection of recent publications related to Jewish studies. The books cover a wide range of topics, including Jewish history, literature, Holocaust studies, and cultural identity. With contributions from various authors and publishers, this compilation offers valuable insights into different aspects of Jewish life and experiences. [Extracted from the article]

We examine the efficacy of MARHABA, a social marketing-informed, lay health worker (LHW) intervention with patient navigation (PN), to increase breast and cervical cancer screening among Muslim women in New York City. Muslim women were eligible if they were overdue for a mammogram and/or a Pap test. All participants attended a 1-h educational seminar with distribution of small media health education materials, after which randomization occurred. Women in the Education + Media + PN arm received planned follow-ups from a LHW. Women in the Education + Media arm received no further contact. A total of 428 women were randomized into the intervention (214 into each arm). Between baseline and 4-month follow-up, mammogram screening increased from 16.0 to 49.0% in the Education + Media + PN arm (p

Islamophobia has historically been used to refer to racism, prejudice, and securitization, indicating that these are structural, cognitive, or cultural aspects of the issue. The term now refers to an Islamophobic social structure in the West, where people tend to act in a way that is hostile against Islam and everything that it represents, according to the current study. The prefix neo has thus been introduced by the researchers to this phrase to account for the psychological aspect of Islamophobia, which shows itself in behaviors and discourses. In order to comprehend the nature of Islamophobia in the UK and the USA, this research aims to investigate Islamophobic discourses in the media of these two Western cultures. Using the DHA analytical methodology, it examines 446 top stories from The Washington Post (The Post editorial board has supported Democratic candidates for federal, state, and municipal offices in the great majority of U.S. elections. Decisions on endorsements and the editorial board of the newspaper are made independently of journalistic activities. It wasn't until 1976 that the Post consistently endorsed candidates for president. The Post has never backed a Republican for president in the general election since it endorsed Jimmy Carter in 1976. Instead, it has consistently supported Democrats in presidential contests. Despite this, the Post declined to either Republican nominee Vice President George H. W. Bush or Democratic candidate Governor Michael Dukakis in the 1988 presidential contest. Obama in 2008 and 2012, Clinton in 2016, and Biden in 2020 were all backed by the Post editorial board (The Washington Post, 2020).) and The Independent (The Independent is typically characterized as liberal, liberal-left, and center to center. The paper's founders believed that readers from The Times and The Daily Telegraph would be its primary audience when it was first founded in 1986 and aimed for its political stance to match the middle of the British political spectrum. It is more of a rival to The Guardian because of perceptions that it leans left on the political spectrum. On economic matters, The Independent, however, leans liberal and pro-market. The Independent described itself as a proudly liberal publication on Sunday (Luce, 2019).) between November 2016 and December 2017. This study finds that although Neo-Islamophobia is more prevalent in the US, where it is considered as a challenge to the socio-political order, classic Islamophobia is more prevalent in the UK, where Islam is seen as a threat to Europe's symbolic identity. It suggests a cycle of neo-Islamophobia that starts with problematizing Islam and moves on to ultimately securitizing Muslims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article uses digital and lived religion perspectives to analyze the phenomenon of American Muslims using online tools to search for and rate-and-review mosques. Focusing on four mid-size U.S. cities – Boston, Indianapolis, Denver, and Seattle – it surveys three major online sources for mosque finding: the Muslim-focused Salatomatic, the review site Yelp, and Google's location-based search. By braiding together site content and user reviews, it shows how this phenomenon connects users' functional goal of finding a location for daily or community prayer with the goal of a high-quality user experience. User reviews' migration toward Google echo a broader shift from computer-based website engagement to mobile engagement and suggest the integration of U.S. mosques into the broader sphere of businesses and services. Overall, they point to the central role that online platforms play in contemporary United States Muslim religious life-worlds, extending review behaviors around consumer goods and services to religious ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin de la Société des Amis de Montaigne is the property of Classiques Garnier and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses three books published in 2023 that explore different aspects of Japanese American history during World War II. It also highlights a debate over the terminology used to describe the wartime treatment of Japanese Americans, focusing on the shift from "internment" to "incarceration." The review examines the evolution of the field of wartime Japanese American studies and the contributions of each book to the existing literature. Additionally, it mentions new works by other scholars that shed light on various aspects of Japanese American history, emphasizing the ongoing interest and research in this area. [Extracted from the article]

A literary criticism of the book "The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf" by Mohja Kahf is presented. It outlines the protagonist Khadra Shamy's journey of self-discovery as she navigates the complexities of identity within a missionary Muslim American community while grappling with themes of race, gender, and cultural heritage. It critiques the societal norms that shape Khadra's life, including the impact of white Christian privilege and the nuances of immigration.

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Shiite Studies is the property of Turkish Journal of Shiite Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The historical background of the under-study Urdu novel “Sasa” is a tragedy set in the 21st century. The incident of 11th September 2001, stands as a poignant historical event, reshaping the global political landscape in mere hours. This paper analyses the novel Sasa delving into the far-reaching consequences of the twin tower demolition in New York, particularly resonating across the Muslim world. The repercussions of this calamitous and violent incident extend beyond geographical borders, leaving an indelible mark on nations such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. However, a significant facet of this impact is observed through the lens of Pakistani Muslims residing in the United States and Western countries, who directly grappled with the aftermath of the tragedy. Central to the novel's narrative are characters who embody the multifaceted questions surrounding the motivations behind the tragedy. These questions are intricately woven into the characters' actions and dialogues, unravelling a complex interplay of political, social, and economic issues. As the characters navigate their identities both domestically and abroad, themes of identity, conflict, and harmony emerge as pivotal touchpoints. Within the narrative, Muslim characters hopelessly long for a path of peace amidst the prevailing tide of war, intolerance and animosity propagated by Western and European media. Central to the novel's narrative is a character named Saleem who embodies the multifaceted questions. In quest of his long hunted answer to the question of Love he travels to America, but he had to face hatred instead. This research employs a qualitative analysis approach, utilizing textual analysis and thematic exploration to unearth the layers of meaning embedded within the characters' experiences and interactions. By contextualizing the characters within a global framework, this study seeks to shed light on the intricate web of human emotions, motivations, and responses triggered by Sasa. Ultimately, the findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the broader sociopolitical repercussions of traumatic events and underline the importance of nuanced narratives that counter prevailing biases and prejudices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study examines the effects of religious identity, practices and beliefs on Muslim Americans' perceptions of discrimination and the extent to which religion might shape the perception of discrimination differently within Muslim race/ethnic groups. Design/methodology/approach: Study data were obtained from the 2011 Pew Survey (N = 1,033), a nationally representative sample of Muslim adults 18 years old and older living in the United States. The sample weights with the exclusion of non-response cases were used for bivariate analyses. For multivariate analyses, multiple imputation procedures were employed to impute missing values on all variables. Findings: Muslim Americans with high levels of religious practices are more likely and Muslim Americans with strong belief in religious tenets are less likely to report experiencing different forms of discrimination. Black, Asian and other/mixed race Muslims with high levels of religious practices report higher rates of discrimination than their white coreligionists. Within group comparison shows that the pure extrinsic group reports higher rates of perceived discrimination than the pro-religious, pure intrinsic and non-religious groups. Originality/value: The study emphasizes varying effects of religious factors on different Muslim American groups in perceived discrimination and suggests researchers challenge a common perception of viewing religion as a "master status" for the Muslim identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "Journal of Religion, Media & Digital Culture" covers a wide range of topics related to religion, media, and digital technology. Articles in the journal explore themes such as the impact of social media on religious practices, the portrayal of religion in the media, and the intersection of technology and spirituality. The journal also includes book reviews that analyze the role of digital platforms in shaping religious beliefs and practices. [Extracted from the article]

What are the underpinnings and ramifications of anti‐Muslim attitudes in the United States? While scholars have emphasized the centrality of race and racial attitudes to American politics, examinations of hostility towards Muslim Americans with context‐specific measures are still lacking despite the increasing relevance of this population in the public imagination. Particularly after the tragic 9/11 attacks, Islamophobia emerged as a pervasive force in American social and political life, entangling race, religion, and nationality to further stigmatize and marginalize Muslims. By more systematically examining the relationship between anti‐Muslim attitudes and public support for a range of initiatives that aim to, or already have, further marginalize(d) American Muslims, the research presented herein aims to underscore the limitations of attitudinal measures that lack context specificity. Through two studies that utilize a nationally representative survey and a longitudinal study of public opinion towards Muslims, we make the case for the development and use of more nuanced measures that capture the distinct nature of hostility towards Muslims as encompassing both perceived realistic and symbolic threats. Additionally, we consider the range of social, psychological, and physical consequences that Islamophobia may exert on Muslim individuals themselves, as well as their interactions with the majority population. These have important implications for scholars studying the sociopolitical behavior of Muslims and policymakers seeking to counteract the adverse effects of Islamophobia in the United States or elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immigrant paradox refers to findings that first-generation and less acculturated immigrants generally have better adaptation and health compared with second/third-generation and more acculturated immigrants. Some work supports an immigrant paradox among European Muslims. Further, Pew's telephone interviews of Muslims living in the United States (MLUS)--about half of whom are foreign-born--consistently reveal that United States-born and English-speaking MLUS perceive and experience more discrimination than foreign-born Muslims. We explored the immigrant paradox in a representative sample of 350 MLUS (33% immigrants) as a function of (a) immigrant status, (b) acculturation levels, and (c) age of arrival in the United States (among immigrants). We conducted analyses of covariance and hierarchical regressions after administering standardized measures of discrimination, perceived Islamophobia in America, religiousness, acculturation, depression, anxiety, and stress (and controlling for covariates). United States-born participants reported greater experiences of discrimination and perceptions of Islamophobia. Both United States-born and more acculturated participants reported greater psychological distress, maladaptive religious coping, and religious struggles. Our findings support the presence of an immigrant paradox among MLUS, highlighting a need to extend accessible services to United States-born and more acculturated Muslims. Potential explanations for the paradox are discussed and have implications for future research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, Muslims live in a climate of heightened Islamophobia and racism. While research has indicated the negative mental health impacts of discrimination among Muslim Americans, the relationship between specific types of discrimination and mental health among 1.5- and 2nd-generation racial minority immigrant-origin Muslim American emerging adults remains unclear. This study, with a sample of 128 1.5- and 2nd-generation, racial minority, immigrant-origin Muslim American college students, explored the associations between (a) everyday experiences of discrimination, (b) campus racial climate, and (c) perceived Islamophobia in the broader culture and symptoms of depression and anxiety. We further examined whether perceived social support and ethnic identity moderated these associations. Findings revealed that everyday experiences of discrimination were significantly associated with symptoms of both depression and anxiety, and campus racial climate and broader perceptions of Islamophobia were significantly associated with anxiety but not depressive symptoms. Although stronger ethnic identity was associated with fewer depressive symptoms and higher perceived social support was associated with fewer anxiety and depressive symptoms, neither buffered against the negative effects of discrimination on mental health symptoms. The implications of the findings for culturally informed interventions and resources for Muslim American college students are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marginalization of the Orient in U.S. cinema has reduced the Oriental space and its inhabitants to a series of clichés and stereotypes. Based on Edward Said's Orientalism (1978), several film scholars like Jack Shaheen, Ella Shohat, and Lina Khatib, among others, have demonstrated that the exclusion and the distortion of the Orient in U.S. cinema were achieved through the manipulation of Oriental music, culture, religion, and the objectification of the female figure. These cinematic representations contribute to the marginalization of the Orient while creating a Eurocentric narrative. Ella Shohat and Robert Stam in their Unthinking Eurocentrism: Multiculturalism and the Media (2013) and Saër Maty Bâ and Will Higbee in their De-Westernizing Film Studies (2012) challenge this long-lasting tradition that marginalizes the Other. The Hulu TV series Ramy (2019-) by the Egyptian comedian, actor, and director Ramy Youssef attempts to de-westernize the gaze on the marginalized Muslim and Middle Eastern communities in the U.S. This article highlights how the series goes beyond the stereotypical iconography used to approach the Middle East while depicting the life of a first-generation American Muslim. It will use a comparative method and discourse analysis to examine how the show can deconstruct these clichés and offer a fresh perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Developing Belief Network is a consortium of researchers studying human development in diverse social-cultural settings, with a focus on the interplay between general cognitive development and culturally specific processes of socialization and cultural transmission in early and middle childhood. The current manuscript describes the study protocol for the network's first wave of data collection, which aims to explore the development and diversity of religious cognition and behavior. This work is guided by three key research questions: (1) How do children represent and reason about religious and supernatural agents? (2) How do children represent and reason about religion as an aspect of social identity? (3) How are religious and supernatural beliefs transmitted within and between generations? The protocol is designed to address these questions via a set of nine tasks for children between the ages of 4 and 10 years, a comprehensive survey completed by their parents/caregivers, and a task designed to elicit conversations between children and caregivers. This study is being conducted in 39 distinct cultural-religious groups (to date), spanning 17 countries and 13 languages. In this manuscript, we provide detailed descriptions of all elements of this study protocol, give a brief overview of the ways in which this protocol has been adapted for use in diverse religious communities, and present the final, English-language study materials for 6 of the 39 cultural-religious groups who are currently being recruited for this study: Protestant Americans, Catholic Americans, American members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Jewish Americans, Muslim Americans, and religiously unaffiliated Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the US, end-of-life health care (EOLHC) is often intensive and invasive, and at times may involve care that is inconsistent with patient values. US Muslims may not receive appropriate religious support, experience uncertainty around end-of-life decision-making, and under-utilize palliative and hospice care. As technological advancements and treatment options rise in EOLHC, Muslim American patients and their families need to understand more about the treatment options that are consistent with their beliefs. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of a pilot mosque-based educational workshop focused on increasing Muslim Americans' religious bioethics knowledge about end-of-life healthcare. Intervention sites were four mosques with racially and ethnically diverse members, two in the Chicago metropolitan area and two in the Washington, D.C. area. Eligible participants were self-reported Muslims, aged 18 years or older, who were proficient in English. The intervention included a pre and post-test survey and a workshop focused on the Islamic bioethical perspectives on EOLHC. Knowledge was measured with six true-false questions. Baseline and post-intervention scores were analyzed by McNemar's test and bivariate correlation. Overall, the analysis showed a significant improvement in post-intervention participant knowledge. There was increased knowledge of Islamic bioethical views on the moral status of seeking healthcare, brain death controversies, and religious perspectives on withholding or withdrawing life support near the end of life. Our pilot intervention successfully increased participant knowledge and underscores the need to improve the Muslim community's knowledge about the bioethical dimensions of EOLHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upon her introduction as the new Ms. Marvel in 2013, the Pakistani-American superhero Kamala Khan was celebrated, by audiences and critics alike, as a welcome addition to the world of superhero comics. Familiar superhero tropes and ethical dilemmas were given an added twist for Marvel's first Muslim protagonist as the teenage girl strives to reconcile her newfound powers with the moral authorities of her family and her faith. Many comics scholars reserved special praise for the nuanced and unobtrusive way in which the new Ms. Marvel introduces American readers to Muslim culture by following its eminently 'relatable' heroine on her search for moral guidance, whereas others were more sceptical of the extent to which the comic's representation of Muslims can be considered progress. This article probes this ambivalence by analysing the cultural authorities invoked in the first eleven issues of the series. Instead of resolving the critical disagreement, a close reading of Kamala Khan's implicit and explicit appeals to authority allows for a more complicated and richer understanding of the comic's, as well as its eponymous intersectional superheroine's, ambiguity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article critically examines how design is used as a tool to establish a new brand of American Islamic spaces in situated contexts using four strategic mechanisms: (1) Using place as a means of institutionalizing the inclusive vision of the community; (2) Urbanizing the location by moving away from the suburbs, making it accessible to all; (3) Co-designing the space to foster ownership; (4) reflecting a new brand of space through contextually sensitive interiors. Findings suggest that these four community-based mechanisms were used to enact a vernacular brand of Islamic spaces in the US through communicating an inclusive hidden program of space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing size of the American Muslim community, little research exists on the provision of culturally relevant services to members of this population. The purpose of this study was to identify American Muslims' perceptions regarding what practitioners should know about Muslims and Islamic culture to provide successful mental health services to members of this community. To conduct this study, a purposive snowball sampling method was employed to obtain a national sample of community-dwelling American Muslims (N = 213). Qualitative analysis identified eight interlaced themes, which can be summarized as follows: (1) know basic Islamic beliefs, (2) recognize intragroup ethnic/cultural differences, (3) develop self-awareness of personal biases, (4) respect Islamic gender roles, (5) avoid making assumptions, (6) use Islamic beliefs/practices as strengths, (7) understand bias in the larger secular culture, and (8) consult with Muslim therapists/Imams. The findings equip practitioners with the information they need to provide effective, culturally relevant services to members of the unique American Muslim community from a posture of respect and cultural humility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel Radiant Fugitives by Ahmed Nawaaz explored the connection between reactive aggression and racial discrimination against American MusliMrs. Through a qualitative analysis of characters, the study delved into the roots of reactive aggressiveness and the impact of discrimination on behaviors. The research highlighted the maltreatment and racism that young American Muslims face and how it can lead to hostility and aggressive reactions. The young characters in the novel became furious when discriminated against and used aggression to assert themselves and to seek revenge from racist Americans. Thus, the study emphasized the need to address the underlying causes of reactive aggression and demonstrated characters who would not act aggressively if they were not victiMrs. This research has significant implications for legislators, politicians, mental health practitioners, and communities involved in issues of aggressive behavior and prejudice against American MusliMrs. It emphasizes the vitality of supporting those affected by discrimination and the need of preventing its causes in order to restrain negative reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]