Somali Mothers and Daughters Navigating Western Notions of Motherhood and Schooling in the Diaspora

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Nine
  In Roundtable Session: Experiences of Parents and Schooling in the Diaspora (Table 3)

Abstract

Researchers are increasingly becoming aware that school-community engagement scholarship needs to consider community-based epistemologies and worldview. Yet, conceptions of family and community are mainly based on Western understandings, without considering the impact of colonization that continues to undermine the role and experiences of marginalized parents. Drawing on Black women thought, and African feminist scholarship, we explore the experiences of motherhood in relation to schooling among a group of Somali immigrant mothers in the UK. We examine how the historical construction of motherhood in both African and Western cultures influence Somali mothers’ relationship with their children’s school and community. Our analysis show traditional knowledge on family and community is central to motherhood, with implications for research, practice, and for community.

Authors

• Nimo Abdi, The Ohio State University
  Presenting Author

• Colleen Clements, University of Minnesota
  Presenting Author