This study analyzes identity, class, religiosity, and belonging as they affect the experiences of female Middle Eastern and Muslim immigrants in various spaces within the context of the Atlanta, Georgia area and draws attention to the ‘othering’ of immigrants in American society. The exploration of immigrants’ experiences in various spaces includes public and semi-public, employment, educational and organizational spaces. Interviews were conducted on 24 female immigrants in the Atlanta area who possess various backgrounds. While female immigrants who wear the hijab experienced more, and more direct, discrimination than those who wear Western styles, the women who wear hijab were not discouraged from attempting to participate in the host society. Female immigrants who wear Western style attire reported indirect negative experiences in public and semi-public spaces. Immigrants’ experiences underscore the concept that socially acceptable stereotypes in the media become fodder for negative stereotypes in mainstream American society.

1 Discrimination against Muslims in Europe The topic of this thesis is primarily the issue of discrimination or non-discrimination of Muslims in Europe. I chose this issue due to the topicality of the topic and, in my opinion, insufficient processing by expert sources. It is currently a major geopolitical problem that Europe is trying to tackle. Whether successfully or unsuccessfully is the topic of this thesis and, above all, the answer to this question depends on the reader of this thesis. Given the situation in predominantly Muslim countries, there is a large influx of migrants who are supporters of Islam. Europe is trying to respond to this situation, but all systems are not changing fast enough to satisfy all parties, with this in mind, there are disputes between the Muslim and non-Muslim populations. The thesis deals with the issues of discrimination and equality in general, where the individual divisions and approaches (direct, indirect, formal, material, equality of opportunities and equality of results, positive, negative) are elaborated. Subsequently, the thesis contains a historical-cultural excursion to Islam (origin of religion, description of historical events, explanation of basic terms, division and specification of sources, the way of Muhammad, pillars of Islam) with emphasis on important...