Zugl.: Freiburg (Breisgau), Universiẗat, Diss., 2004.

Thesis (M.A.)--Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, MA, 2005. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-95).

This autoethnographic research project explores how a first-generation Canadian Ismaili Muslim, grapples with the tensions of belonging and identity while living in the in-between spaces of multiple social locations. Using an intersectional third-wave feminist approach, a method I term “third-wave dervish”, I metaphorically spin in a similar manner to a whirling dervish. Each spin provokes a round of critical reflection grounded in a node of intersect. Throughout the dance, how each node of intersect – religion and spirituality, geographical location, ethnicity and culture, and gender – implicates the in-between spaces I find myself located within, on the periphery of, and wavering between is explored. Narratives from my early years, adolescence, as a young adult in a graduate classroom, and as a young practitioner serve as data. For the first time, during re-iterations of memories, experiences of being minoritized and racialized are acknowledged and I begin to challenge gender binaries and offer insight into how I unknowingly negotiated and navigated complex social spaces. Personal experiences and reflections are then translated beyond the self to offer insight into how human and social development practitioners can use the key findings of how a brown-bodied female moved through childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood. The dissertation offers suggestions for practitioners to actively engage in, understand, and respond to children and youth’s verbal and non-verbal responses to experiences they are having. In addition, the text outlines the benefit of and ways in which practitioners may encourage difficult conversations with clients who are minoritized, and how to foster safe spaces for children, youth, and young adults to explore their sense of belonging and identity. / Graduate

With increased Islamophobia across Europe, White Danish citizens' mistrust of Danish Muslim minorities has partially been focused on private schools with large Muslim populations. Politicians who argue for the increased regulation of private schools rely on the narrative that these schools foster a parallel society by preventing students from becoming fully integrated into society as a 'democratic citizen.' In this dissertation, I respond to these critiques by drawing on a year of fieldwork at a private high school founded by Turkish parents in Copenhagen, Denmark. Narratives from the school's students and parents illuminate not only why some parents choose private schools for their children but also how schooling influences the students' subject positions and their ability to navigate public space. Specifically, I argue that rather than produce a parallel society, private schools operate as what Gillian Rose (1993) calls a 'paradoxical space,' wherein subjects can position themselves as both the center and the margin. By allowing students the space to form their identity as a majority, they are empowered to grow up and engage society differently than those who have grown up with constant reminders of their minority status. In making this argument, I show how geographers can contribute to the growing use of intersectionality within the social sciences. I also point to the importance of space when unpacking how multiple axes of social division are in play, including how space produces different forms of inequality, and what this says about social structures of power in Denmark.

This dissertation examines the influence of Islamic ideology on Iranian Marxists during the 1979 revolution. The purpose of this study is to extricate the influence of Islamic culture, ideology, and terminology on Marxist organizations and on individuals who identified themselves as Marxists in Iran. This is especially of interest since in many ways Marxism and Islam are ideologically in conflict. Were Marxists aware of the influences of Islam in their behavior and ideology? To investigate the irony publications put forth by several Marxist organizations before and after the 1979 revolution were examined. A history of such influence both ideologically and contextually is depicted to demonstrate their political and cultural significance. Through the study of Marxist political organs, theoretical publication and political flyers distributed during and after the revolution, the phenomenon of Marxists converting to an Islamic ideology became clearer. Many Marxist organizations were demonstrably utilizing Islamic political ideology to organize and mobilize masses of Iranians. This study shows a historical precedence of Marxists’ usage of Islam in the political history of Iran dating back to early twentieth-century. Primary and secondary Marxist literature showed that Islam was an inescapable social and political reality for Iranian Marxists. Not only was there a common upbringing but a common enemy fostered provisional collusion between the two. The internalizing the idea of martyrdom—of Shi’a Islam—was a shared belied that united Marxists with Muslins in their attempt to effect sociopolitical change in Iran. Studying Marxist publications shows evidence that many Iranian Marxists were not conscious of using Islamic ethics and terminology since Islamic beliefs are part of the taken-for-granted world of Iranian culture. This contextual belief system, pervasive within the culture and a change of political ideology is what created the conditions for the possibility of Marxists becoming Muslims.

No description available.

Enligt Skolverket är klädsel något som normalt bestäms av individen själv men hur fria är unga muslimska kvinnor i dagens svenska skola i sina klädval? I den här kvalitativa fallstudien vill jag under-söka hur några muslimska unga kvinnor resonerar kring sina klädval och klädstilar i skolan. Resultatet visar att de muslimska tonårsflickorna har skapat sin identitet kring sitt slöjbärande och att de inom gruppen har olika sätt att bära sin slöja. Det har även visat sig att de som bär slöja gör det av främst kulturella och religiösa skäl och det är en del av deras identitet. Även om skolans styrdokument anser att man själv ska få välja sina kläder framkommer det att där finns motsättningar och problem i att vara ung muslimsk kvinna i en svensk skola. Jag hoppas med detta arbete att läsaren ska kunna få en ny syn på slöjbärande och de unga muslimska kvinnorna som väljer att bära slöja i dagens Sverige. Syftet är även att producera ett dokument som kan vägleda skolpersonal och samtidigt undvika missförstånd, diskriminering eller misstänksamhet.

Magister Legum - LLM / It has been more than 25 years since the Interim Constitution came into effect and a Bill of Rights was introduced. Yet Muslim Personal Law ( still has no lega l recognition in South Africa. This the sis investigates how this causes serious problems for Muslim women who suffer grave injustices upo n divorce due to the non recognition and non regulati on of Muslim marriages It highlights t he State refus al to enact legislation despite the dicta and obiter comments from the courts spanning more than two decad es enjoining the state to effect legislation to achieve this purpose. South African law is still fundamentally lacking in the recognition of the rights of parties to marriages contracted only in terms of M PL . For couples married in accordance with civil law, marriages and divorces are dealt with under the relevant statutes, namely the Marriage Act 25 of 1961, t he Civil Union Act 17 of 2006 and the Divorce Act 70 of 1979. No provision has been made in statu tor y law for MP L . Previously the courts have held that this was due to the potentially polygyn ous nature of Muslim marriages. Muslim m arriages are inadequately regulated resulting in serious hardships to Muslim women and children. This thesis furthermore inve stigate s the need to recognize MPL .

Since the 1990s, the religious diversity of United States universities has increased, with growing numbers of students, faculty, and staff who are Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Humanist. To support these demographics, university chaplaincies have been developing beyond their Christian and Jewish compositions to include chaplains and programs for these traditions. Through interviews with such chaplains, this project thesis examines how these chaplaincies developed, the preparation the chaplains needed, their responsibilities, and the current challenges and future prospects of these programs. It provides advice for university leaders about how and why to develop their spiritual life programs to support today’s religious diversity. / 2023-06-03T00:00:00Z

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / There are significant social and policy changes that have been made in Saudi Arabia. Some of these changes are relevant to women’s lives. The changes related to the male guardianship system are crucial. Saudi women are restricted by the male dominant culture and face obstacles that hold them accountable to their male guardians. The male guardianship system is tied to heritage, culture, and traditionally ingrained mindsets. This exploratory qualitative study provided a more comprehensive understanding of women’s narratives by focusing on the deep meaning about the effects of the male guardianship system on women’s lives in Saudi Arabia. Sixteen women were interviewed. The finding found that the majority of Saudi women did not perceive the guardianship system as protective or helping women by any means and many had questions about its purpose and relevance. Regarding the legal concept, most women were ambivalent because of recent policy reforms that the government had promised, yet had not implemented it when the data was collected. The religious beliefs surrounding the male guardianship system also varied according to which religious interpretation women and their families followed. The traditional beliefs of the male guardianship system differed among women due to social values which differed from one family to another. This study showed the persistent need to raise awareness among women and men to deconstruct the Saudi culture and reshape the values and norms where women can be respected as individuals so that they could govern their own lives. The findings also showed that the new younger generation in Saudi Arabia are more willing to challenge the Saudi culture and tradition for a better future. They are inspired by the Saudi vision 2030 and the social changes that took place a few years ago to benefit women, extending work opportunities, education, enabling women to do government paperwork themselves, and allowing women to drive and travel without male permission. All these reforms are promising for a better future, but more work, more women voices, and more discussion is needed. / 2022-08-17