Graduate Program

College Student Affairs

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Semester of Degree Completion

2008

Thesis Director

Richard Roberts

Thesis Committee Member

James Wallace

Thesis Committee Member

Charles Eberly

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the perspectives of Muslim students in higher education concerning their connections to campus based on their perceptions of collective identity threat. Collective identity exists when an individual holding group membership fears that in-group members' behavior will reinforce a negative stereotype about their group. Similarly, stereotype threats are personally relevant threats in which individuals may fear reinforcing the stereotype themselves (Cohen & Garcia, 2005). Research in the area of stereotype threat has high generalizability and can transfer to any race or gender (Steele, Spencer, & Aronson, 2002). For the purpose of the present study, the term "collective threat" is applied; however stereotyping is a kind of a collective threat. It can be assumed that religions fall under the threat of stereotype and currently, members of the Islamic faith are targets for collective threat.

It has been suggested that Muslim students on campus believe there is a disconnect between themselves and their academic community (Asmar, Proude, & Inge, 2004). Either by way of not connecting to campus, lack of campus resources (understanding and support) or misconceptions about their religion, the consensus among Muslim students is disappointment over the lack of understanding about the Islamic faith in their communities. Research has been conducted on how Muslim students experience campus life, (Ahmadi & Cole, 2003; Asmar, Proude, & Inge, 2004; Asmar, 2002) but no research specifically explored how collective threats influence their matriculation into mainstream campus culture. Research in the area of collective threat has been associated with predicting high or low self-esteem. Stereotype threat has been most often specifically associated with academics or athletics and not associated or studied in the realm of religious identity. It is important to understand the phenomenon of collective threat in order to better serve the growing Muslim student population in higher education This study utilized qualitative methods, in depth interviews and pre-interview surveys. The target population included students at one Mid-Western university with a large Muslim population in an urban area.

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