Identity and Self Reflection: Six Arab Muslim Immigrant Women Tell Their Stories

Abstract

This study examined the experiences of six Muslim women who emigrated from countries in the Arab League to the Detroit Metropolitan area in Michigan. A review of the literature indicated that very little research has been done on immigrant women and, in particular, Muslim immigrant women. In order to fully understand these women’s experiences, a qualitative design was utilized with a phenomenological approach within the framework of critical dialogue theory. This study focused on learning Muslim immigrant women’s experiences and identities as they integrated into their new societies through their individual’s stories. Readers can learn the stories of six Muslim immigrant women who come from different countries and have different educational backgrounds. This study investigates how these women identify themselves, how educational attainment contributed to their integration process, and how they adapted to their lives in the United States. Women shared their stories in their own voices. The findings suggest that their experiences were influenced both by a supportive community and by their own conceptualizations about educational attainment and cultural adaptation. It is a self-reflective phenomenon based on their religious beliefs and their home traditional cultures.