Literacy, Identity and Academic Journey: Am I Enough to be a Scholar?

• In Event: Muslim Womens' Doctoral Journeys in Education Research

Abstract

This paper aims to provide an autoethnographic analysis on my positionality and experiences as a Turkish Muslim scholar conducting a three-year book club for Muslim American adolescents in an Islamic community center while pursuing a Ph.D. at Syracuse University. The purpose is to explore how my identity influenced and was influenced by my scholarly work and community engagement.
My reflection is grounded in MusCrit (Muslim Critical Race Theory) and autoethnography. MusCrit provides a lens to examine the intersectionality of race, religion, and identity, particularly focusing on the experiences of Muslim Americans (Ali, 2022). Autoethnography allows me to narrate my personal journey, intertwining my academic pursuits with my cultural and religious background (Ellis, Adams, & Bochner, 2011). Additionally, counter-storytelling as described by Solórzano and Yosso (2002) offers a methodological tool to challenge dominant narratives and highlight the experiences of marginalized communities.
I utilized autoethnographic methods to document my experiences, feelings, and reflections throughout the three-year book club and my Ph.D. journey. I analyzing how my identity as a Turkish Muslim woman influenced my interactions with participants, students and academic peers. The counter-narrative approach provided a framework to use my own experiences as data, emphasizing the role of a non-American, international Turkish Muslim women instructor in an American academic setting and intersectional diverse Islamic community (Solórzano & Yosso, 2002).
The primary data sources for this autoethnographic reflection include my personal journals, reflective notes, and recorded interactions with the book club participants. Additionally, artifacts such as participants' writings, book club session recordings, and interviews provided supplementary data to support my reflections (Heath, 1983).
I found that my positionality as a Turkish Muslim scholar was both a source of strength and a challenge. My cultural and religious background provided a distinctive perspective in both the Islamic community setting and within the academic environment of the university. Navigating a predominantly secular and Western academic space required me to constantly negotiate my identity. This experience underscored the importance of representation and the need for more diverse voices in academia (Garner & Selod, 2014). The settings served as a critical space for me to explore and affirm my identity. My role as a facilitator was deeply informed by my own journey of identity formation and resistance against Islamophobia and cultural stereotypes (Sirin & Fine, 2006).
This autoethnographic reflection contributes to the understanding of the role of positionality in scholarly work and community engagement (Haddix,2015). It highlights the significance of culturally responsive educational practices and the impact of representation in fostering inclusive academic environments. By sharing my journey, study advocates for the integration of diverse perspectives in research and underscores the transformative potential of community-based literacy initiatives (Barton & Hamilton, 1998). It emphasizes the need for educational spaces that honor and reflect the identities of diverse groups, advocating for policies and practices that support the holistic development of all students. Study calls for a recognition of the multifaceted experiences of scholars from diverse backgrounds and the value they bring to academia and community engagement (Freire, 1970)

Author

• Fatima Seyma Kizil, Syracuse University