"Don't Ever Be Ashamed of Who You Are": Muslim Mothers and Daughters' Relational Resistance

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 15
  In Roundtable Session: Constructions of Motherhood

Abstract

Drawing from a two-year narrative inquiry alongside three Canadian Muslim girls and their mothers, I foreground our relational resistance to single stories (Adichie, 2009) and arrogant perceptions (Lugones, 1987) of who we ‘should’ be as Muslim females. While Muslim girls and women are often storied as victims of oppression in mainstream discourses, media, and literature, little is known about our diverse experiences – particularly within familial and community landscapes. This research and paper presentation contributes an important perspective to educational, academic, and wider social narratives. It will also provide insights into ways families, teachers, and community members can help interrupt, disrupt, and shift dominant narratives and better support Muslim girls, youth, women, and families within formal educational contexts and beyond.

Author

• Muna Saleh, Concordia University of Edmonton