Beyond the Veil: Exploring Issues of Social Adversity Female Muslim Students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are Faced With While Integrating Into the Fabr

Undergraduate: Sarah Shannon-Mohamed

Faculty Advisor: Tommy Ender
Department: History

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The purpose of this qualitative auto-ethnographic research study is to identify social barriers and issues of prejudice that may negatively impact the outcome of female Muslim student¿¿¿s experiences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH). Focusing primarily on identifying the main forces driving these issues in order to find solutions that will help these students to succeed on an educational and social level, and provide an overall experience that positively combines social acceptance and tolerance in conjunction with a quality education. Findings within this paper are defined as indicative rather than definitive due to the sample size¿¿¿five faculty members and five female Muslim students¿¿¿used to obtain data. Findings indicate that while UNC-CH is a welcoming and diverse institution Muslim students¿¿¿particularly veiled female Muslims students¿¿¿still experience feelings of marginalization, social segregation, and prejudice. The study also reveals that female Muslim students tend to gravitate socially toward other groups also experiencing social adversity. In order to assist students dealing with social obstacles, the findings show that the university would benefit in the accumulation of knowledge surrounding these issues. Doing so opens the door for the development of programs focused on providing support for future students with the purpose of aiding them in overcoming barriers in an effort to ensure they receive an all-encompassing education.