Culture, Social Structure and American Muslim Identity: An Application of the Social Identity Perspective

• In Event: 165 - Section on Sociology of Religion Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 05. Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Islam

Abstract

Both theory and past research suggest that social and psychological factors shape self-concept and identity. Yet, social identity research has rarely examined the influence of such factors on the self-identity of Muslim Americans. In this paper, we focus on Islam and American Muslims to outline the ways in which religious and structural variables influence self-identity construction among a growing, diverse minority community. Drawing from social identity theory, we develop our own conceptual model and apply our scheme as a framework to interpret our empirical findings. We analyze data from a random probability sample of American Muslims (n=957) and present results from multinomial regression models. Results indicate five key predictors that enhance “Muslim” and “Muslim American” self-concept when compared to an “American only” identity. These are: (1) religious salience; (2) beliefs in the authenticity and extensiveness of Islam; (3) increased number of Muslim friends (network closure); (4) poor quality of life perceptions and (5) non-citizenship status. The research provides a fuller understanding of the relationship between sociostructural factors and self-concept among American Muslims while proposing an integrated theoretical framework from which to evaluate processes of identity formation.

Authors

• Gabriel A Acevedo, University of Texas-San Antonio

• Christopher G. Ellison, University of Texas-San Antonio