Abu-Ras, W.; Ahmed, S.; Arfken, C. L.
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This article from the Journal of Ethnicity and Substance Abuse, is a study that surveyed U.S. college students about their alcohol use. The study was meant to focus on the alcohol use of Muslim American students as compared to other U.S. college students. The study found that Muslim students were less likely to consume alcohol than their non-Muslim peers (216), and that religiosity is associated with non-drinking behavior even though the study showed that "against my religion" was ranked number 1.27 on average among 19 reasons to abstain from alcohol use. This study is relevant to my research in that these findings indicated that Muslim students' interactions with Greek Life on a social basis might be limited, because of difference of values about alcohol use. Alcohol use is highly concentrated in the Greek Life arena, and Muslim American students may feel excluded or that they can not participate, because not only are they more likely to abstain from alcohol use, but non-Muslim students are not likely to understand why, alienating them further.
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Bavifard, J. M.
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This dissertation entitled Exam9/11. Examining perceptions of Iranian college students in the post-9/11 context, follows the experiences of international Iranian students and Iranian-American students given the current socio-political context following 9/11. In a section of the dissertation entitled, "Ignorance/Labeling Components" , several Iranian-American students express that they feel that many Americans, including students, are ignorant about issues involving Iran, and are even fearful. Two Muslim Iranian-American students said that they fear going out, because they'd then have to explain why they don't consume alcohol or eat pork. This could especially be analyzed in a context of Greek Life, indicating that Muslim American students might be fearful of participating in Greek Life for similar reasons.
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Derose, M. E.-K.
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This dissertation deals with the psychological effects of 9/11 on Arab-Americans and seeks to educate and dispel stereotypes by offering an insight in to these peoples' culture, values, and experiences. The relevant sections to my research include a detailed explanation of Islam, because this is important background to the stories of Muslim Americans and in dispelling stereotypes that might exist in broader American culture about Islam in the aftermath of 9/11. It voices Muslim Americans' culture and puts it into perspective. Another relevant aspect is a discussion of acculturation and how Arab-Americans can have multiple dimensions of identity and various levels of relative cultural values. While this does not directly pertain to Muslim Americans, this view can be useful in analyzing and understanding how a Muslim-American college student could be caught between two worlds in confrontation with Greek Life. The last, most relevant section discusses the origins of stereotyping and the multi-dimensionality of prejudice.
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Hu De-Hart, E.
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This feature discusses the importance of multiculturalism in the U.S. higher education system. The author indicates that there has been an overwhelming amount of "political correctness" on college campuses and in multicultural education. Hu De-Hart argues that current scholars are too quick to excuse the blights of American history and claim that we truly are a "melting pot" with a new "American culture." The point Hu De-Hart makes is that multicultural education should be about embracing the different and diverse as different Americans, and redefine multiculturalism this way. This is relevant to my study in that it is worrisome that students might be educated in a P.C. way, ultimately making them ignorant about current discriminations against minority students. It begs the question whether or not non-Muslim students are knowledgable enough to interact with Muslim American students in a social arena like Greek life in a non-offensive, respectable way.
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Hunter, J. S.
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This paper focuses on a discussion of the definition of multiculturalism means in the context of Greek Institutions. The author interviewed several members of a Multicultural Greek Council at Florida State University inquiring about what multiculturalism actually means to them. The relevant portion to my research involves Hunter's discovery that although many subjects explained multiculturalism as a value in their organization, it was noticed that these values do not always play out in practice. Not only this, but many subjects defined multiculturalism differently, and many without a mind to religious preferences, or if they did mention it, they went on to focus on ethnic definitions of multiculturalism, indicating that religion is often overlooked. Even more worrisome, Hunter notes that some organizations do not value multiculturalism at all.
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Neider, X. N.
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This dissertation discusses quite broadly the experiences of Middle Eastern Americans in the sociopolitical context of 9/11. The relevance to my research is in her interview methods, the research questions she attempted to answer and her discussion of identity. She makes the point that many Middle Eastern Americans have had to renegotiate their expectations and redefine and reshape boundaries and identities.
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