naspa religious oppression and identity development of muslim students

2013 NASPA Annual Conference * Orlando, Florida * March 16-20, 2013

Religious Oppression & Identity Development of Muslim Students

March 20, 2013

Anil Shetty & Alyssa Zewe


Today’s Learning Outcomes• Define religious oppression and its connections to social

identity development

• Recognize Christian privilege and its relevance to understanding the experience of diverse minority religious populations at public institutions

• Establish the relevance of the Muslim student population to the field of student affairs

• Explore support issues for Muslim students

• Promote interfaith dialogue and programming on campuses


Why are you here?

Images designed to reinforce the question: Why are you here?


Relevance of the Muslim Population


Demographics Population is consistently growing Mosque Study Project (MAPS) American Jewish Committee American Religious

Identification Survey (ARIS)

College Enrollment will reflect these demographic trends

Muslim population in the U.S. in terms of higher education

24% have had some college attendance and 58% are college graduates according to the MAPS Survey (Ahmadi and Cole, 2010)

Number of Muslim students is proportionately higher than the general population (Smith, 2001)

Ahmadi, S., Cole, D. (2010). Reconsidering Campus Diversity: An Examination of Muslim Students’ Experiences. Journal of Higher Education, 81, 121-139.The Global Religious Landscape: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s Major Religious Groups as of 2010. (2012, December 18). The Pew Forum on Religious & Public Life. Retrieved from http://www.pewforum.org/global-religious-landscape-exec.aspx


ACPA/NASPA Professional Competency Areas

• History, Philosophy, and Values• Personal, Foundations• Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion


Fowler’s Theory of Faith Development

• Stages of Faith (1981)oPrestage: Primal FaithoStage 1: Intuitive – Projective FaithoStage 2: Mythic-literal FaithoStage 3: Synthetic-conventional FaithoStage 4: Individuative-reflective FaithoStage 5: Conjunctive Faith


Faith Development Theory of Parks

• The Critical Years (1986)• Big Questions, Worthy Dreams (2000)

• Principles:o Forms of Knowingo Forms of Dependenceo Forms of Community


Limitations of Theory

• Ethnically and religiously biased• Spirituality framed from lens of

Western traditions• Cross-sectional studies


Origins of Islam• Historical

context• Divergence

Esposito, J. L. (2011). What everyone needs to know about Islam. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.

Image of the Kaaba


Religious Oppression & Christian Privilege


Iris Marion Young’ 5 Faces of Oppression

1. Marginalization: Expelled from social life

2. Exploitation: Energy expended

3. Powerlessness: Lack of authority in decision-making as well as individual development

4. Cultural Imperialism: the dominant meanings of society that render alternative views invisible or unworthy

5. Violence: fear of unprovoked attacks on their person or property

Young, I. M. (2000). Five faces of oppression. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, R. Castañeda, H. W. Hackmann, M. L. Peters, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 35-49). New York: Routledge.


How Does This Affect Our Campuses?

• Cultural background • Societal attitudes • Campus climate


Christian Privilege

Five Faces of Oppression Christian Privilege

Christian Privilege: Conscious and subconscious advantages afforded to the Christian faith in America’s colleges and universities

• Formal: Physical Facilities, On-Campus Dining Options, Institutional Calendar

• Informal: Traditions, Language, Dress, Assumptions

Seifert, T. (2007). Understanding Christian privilege: Managing the tensions of spiritual plurality. About Campus, 12, 10-17. doi: 10.1002/abc.206Young, I. M. (2000). Five faces of oppression. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, R. Castañeda, H. W. Hackmann, M. L. Peters, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 35-49). New York: Routledge .


Muslim Student Experiences


Muslim Student Experience• Muslim students were shown to do the following more frequently

than their Christian counterparts:– Have a roommate of a different racial/ethnic and religious background– Participate in racial/ethnic specific organizations– Socialize with someone of a different racial/ ethic group– Attend racial/cultural awareness workshops– Tutor another college student

• However, Muslim students spend less time in religious service/prayer

Ahmadi, S., Cole, D. (2010). Reconsidering Campus Diversity: An Examination of Muslim Students’ Experiences. Journal of Higher Education, 81, 121-139.


Muslim Student Experience


College Student Learning Outcomes


Conscious Modes of Thought

Conscious Modes of Thought – “Active Thinking”

New ideas and ways of processing information

Complex social environments

Enhanced intellectual engagement & cognitive growth



Complex Social Environment

• Interfaith dialogue, religious diversity, and ethnic/racial diversity can serve as complex social environments and enhance learning

• Muslim population in the U.S. is the most racially & ethnically diverse religious group (Gallop, 2008)



Traditional Learning Outcomes

Religious activities are most often correlated with increases in…• Social integration• Emotional well-being• Knowledge of different cultures

Religious/spiritual development has positive effects on…• Intellectual/Academic Outcomes• Personal/Emotional Outcomes• Attitudinal Outcomes Ahmadi, S., Cole, D. (2010). Reconsidering Campus Diversity: An Examination of Muslim Students’ Experiences. Journal of Higher Education, 81, 121-139.Astin, A. W., Astin, H. S., & Lindholm, J. A. (2010). Cultivating the spirit: How college can enhance students’ inner lives. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.


Reflection• How does your campus offer multi-faith

spaces for students to engage in spiritual reflection?

• How do you support the spiritual identity development of your students?

• Have you consciously or unconsciously contributed to the religious oppression of Muslim students?

• What do you plan to take back to your campus as a result of today’s discussion?


Parting Thoughts

• Relevance of Muslim student population• Create complex social environments to:– Change campus cultures– Develop diversity & multicultural

competencies for students, staff, and faculty–Help students achieve cognitive and

affective development through religious and spiritual exploration


Takeaways• 3 C’s Model:

– Congruent– Comprehensive– Consistent

• Examples:– Interfaith programming such as dialogue series, spiritual walks,

workshops & trainings, retreats– Providing physical spaces for exploration– Reflection– Faculty & staff education & development– Living learning communities– Co-curricular learning


Florida State University – Center for Global Engagement

Meditation Room


Questions?

Anil [email protected]

Alyssa [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]


References• Ahmadi, S., & Cole, D. (2010). Reconsidering campus diversity: An examination of Muslim students’ experiences. Journal of Higher

Education, 81, 121-139. • Astin, A. W., Astin, H. S., & Lindholm, J. A. (2010). Cultivating the spirit: How college can enhance students’ inner lives. San Francisco,

CA: Jossey-Bass.• Bagheri, E., Ali, R.S. (2009). Practical Suggestions to Accommodate the Needs of Muslim Students on Campus. New Directions for

Student Services, 2009, 47-54. doi:10.1002/SS.307• Dalton, J., & Crosby, P. (2007). Let's talk about religious differences: The neglected topic in diversity discussions on campus. Journal of

College and Character, 9(2), Retrieved from http://journals.naspa.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1125&context=jcc• Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student development in college: Theory, research, and

practice (2 ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.• Esposito, J. L. (2011). What everyone needs to know about Islam. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, Inc.• Leonard, D. (2012, Feb. 13). Interview by Alyssa Zewe [Personal Interview]. • National Association of Student Personnel Administrators & American College Personnel Association. (2010). Professional competency

areas for student affairs practitioners. Washington, DC: National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.• Seifert, T. (2007). Understanding Christian privilege: Managing the tensions of spiritual plurality. About Campus, 12, 10-17. doi:

10.1002/abc.206• Speck, B. (1997). Respect for religious differences: The case of Muslim students. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 70, 39-46.• Takim, L. (2004). From conversion to conversation: Interfaith dialogue in post 9-11 America. The Muslim World, 94, 343-355.• The Global Religious Landscape: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World’s Major Religious Groups as of 2010. (2012,

December 18). The Pew Forum on Religious & Public Life. Retrieved from http://www.pewforum.org/global-religious-landscape-exec.aspx

• Young, I. M. (2000). Five faces of oppression. In M. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, R. Castañeda, H. W. Hackmann, M. L. Peters, & X. Zúñiga (Eds.), Readings for diversity and social justice (pp. 35-49). New York: Routledge.

• Younis, M. (2009, March 2). Muslim Americans Exemplify Diversity, Potential: Key Findings from a new report by the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies. Gallup World. Retrieved from http://www.gallup.com/poll/116260/muslim-americans-exemplify-diversity-potential.aspx

naspa religious oppression and identity development of muslim students

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