1-165 - In the Spotlight and Under Surveillance: Risk and Resilience Amongst Middle Eastern and North African Youth in the United States

Session Type: Conversation Roundtable

Integrative Statement

American youth of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) descent face an almost daily barrage of global and national media stories relating their ethnic heritage with a range of problems, including violence, war, terrorism, fundamentalism, misogyny, and oppression. Moreover, they report frequent experiences with microaggressions and discrimination. Nevertheless, they are often overlooked in developmental science, in part because traditional racial/ethnic categorizations do not provide a distinct option for MENA youth. The current global sociopolitical climate related to the MENA region and the potential for a negative ripple effect on American youth of MENA descent, including mental health, violence, and concerns regarding self-radicalization, make a conversation about this understudied group critical at this time. In fact, SRCD’s Strategic Plan emphasizes that the organization “will integrate racial, cultural, economic, national, and contextual diversity in all spheres of developmental science” (Goal 3). In support of this goal, the roundtable will bring together four scholars to challenge the status quo, and to raise thought-provoking questions and recommendations for future research and advocacy for MENA adolescents and emerging adults. Moderated by Sheila Modir, the panel, consisting of Drs. Sawssan R. Ahmed, Germine Awad, Maryam Kia-Keating, and Selcuk Sirin, will discuss sociocultural correlates of risk and resilience for MENA populations. Audience members will then engage in a discussion on the global and national context for MENA American youth, to inform how organizations such as SRCD can fulfill their strategic mission, and developmental scientists can better understand and address the needs of this population.

Sub Unit

• Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Moderator

• Sheila Modir, University of California, Santa Barbara

Panelists

• Sawssan Ahmed, California State University, Fullerton

• Germine Awad, University of Texas, Austin

• Maryam Kia-Keating, University of California, Santa Barbara

• Selcuk R. Sirin, New York University