Through the Eyes of the Mother: Examining the Iranian American Immigrant Experience With Dis/ability and Education

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Public Education

Abstract

This research study uses an intersectional feminism theoretical framework to look at seven Iranian-American mothers’ experiences with immigration, dis/ability, and navigating the United States health care and educational systems. The research methodology used phenomenology by engaging in a modified Seidman’s interview structure to focus on the story. The study found that mothers saw Western culture and the educational resources available in the United States as more beneficial than those in Iran. However, the difference between the experiences of immigrant verses refugee greatly affected the mother’s perspective, mastery of English, and her ability to navigate resources and education for a child with dis/abilities.

Authors

• Kimiya Sohrab Maghzi, University of Redlands

• Marni E. Fisher, Saddleback College