Muslim Refugees in a Post-9/11 World: An Examination of Iraqi Refugees in the United States

• In Event: 469 - Section on International Migration Roundtables (one-hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 02. Refugees and Displaced Persons

Abstract

Although the sociological literature pertaining to refugees in western nations is plentiful, there is a dearth of academic research regarding analyses of Muslim refugees in western nations post-September 11th, 2001. Whereas the literature acknowledges that post-1965 minority migrants are undergoing divergent forms of integration (Alba and Nee 2003; Portes and Zhou 1993), western nations are experiencing sentiments of anti-Muslim nationalism (Joppke 2012; Humphrey 2003; Zetter 2007), and that there are mounting numbers of displaced Muslims (Watters 2013; Zetter 2007; Newman 2003), it fails to explain how these factors are affecting the integration of Muslim refugees in western nations. While many scholars theorize that incorporation is more problematic for non-European immigrants, Alba and Nee (2003) posit that post-1965 migrants are still partaking in assimilation. Therefore, this paper will focus on the integration of Muslim refugees to explore whether Muslims are achieving incorporation into western societies as suggested by Alba and Nee, positing the need for more sociological research on this topic.

Author

• Nathalie Pauline Rita, University of Hawaii