Identity Doesn\u27t Form In a Vacuum: Deconstructing the Role of Hegemony in the Identity Formation of Religiously Diverse People

In a post-9/11 world, Muslims and Muslim-looking individuals are perceived as a homogenous group characterized as violent, oppressive, and barbaric. Conflating Islam with negative traits both corroborates and instigates the dominant hegemonic forces, which serve as the filter through which and the context within which identities are formed. In order to destabilize these hegemonic beliefs, this paper builds upon James Paul Gee’s (2001) identity theory, specifically what he terms “new capitalism.” This review finds Gee’s identity theory particularly salient in the current political moment in which Muslims and Muslim-looking individuals feel rejected and Othered in the United States. However, some short-comings were identified. To address them, other scholars such as Jasmine Zine and bell hooks are drawn into the conversation, and a new addition to Gee’s theory is suggested – that of hegemonic perspective, or H-Identity. Through greater focus on and isolation of the hegemonic forces which undergird identity formation, scholars will be better equipped to evaluate the impact of hegemony on religiously diverse individuals and minority groups. Further research on the role of hegemony in the construction of identity among minorities targeted by hegemonic forces is needed. This review may be useful in diverse psychological, political, or educational settings

Integrating Social Studies Education with Mathematics: Pre-service Teachers’ Use of the Pyramids of Giza to plan a STEM Lesson

Pre-service teachers (PSTs) often struggle to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) content effectively due to lack of training on how to plan a STEM lesson in meaningful ways as well as which subjects to integrate. This dilemma often results in an avoidance of STEM methodology altogether. This paper describes a productive method for training PSTs to successfully teach STEM lessons by using Social Studies content to integrate with Mathematics and Science, and provide context and connection to real world applications. Along with providing a STEM lesson, the article demonstrates the critical role social studies can play as the “glue” for some integrated lesson plans

PEDAGOGY OF POST 9/11 UNITED STATES: MUSLIM AMERICAN STUDENTS\u27 EXPERIENCES, TEACHERS\u27 PEDAGOGIES, AND TEXTBOOKS\u27 ANALYSIS

The events and aftermath of 9/11 continue to cause life changes for many Americans, particularly Muslim American students who have experienced socio-cultural and pedagogic exclusion, harassment and discrimination due to ignorance and misunderstandings. Teachers must inform their students about 9/11 and the War on Terror to eliminate misunderstandings and intolerance towards a vulnerable population. In spite of its importance, many schools have not implemented the topic as part of their curricula. It is not even included as part of social studies state standards. Recent editions of US history textbooks include some information about 9/11 and the War on Terror that seems one sided. This absence begs the question of how do teachers instruct about these topics? Further,\xa0how do Muslim American students under new scrutiny negotiate their identity and cultural citizenship at schools and in general society? \xa0Also, what is\xa0the impact of Islamophobia, government policies, social and cultural practices, and the War on Terror on their education, identity, citizenship, and sense of belonging? Guided by an anti-imperial perspective, critical pedagogy, and anti-Islamophobia framework, this dissertation contributes to post 9/11 area studies. This research interviewed 9 diverse Muslim American students about their social, cultural, and educational experiences post 9/11 and about how these experiences impacted their religious and national identity and sense of belonging as Muslim Americans. Furthermore, from interviews with 5 teachers from different high schools in New Mexixco the study investigated teachers\u27 9/11 and War on Terror pedagogy. They discussed how they taught about post 9/11, the controversies they faced, resources they used, and how they plan to re-teach the topics in the future. Along with this qualitative approach, content analysis of six commonly used 11th grade US history textbooks was applied to examine the representation of 9/11 and the War on Terror. This approach helped provide some important context for how the categories of nationalism, citizenship, and outsider are constructed. This study challenges systems of oppression that propagate Islamophobia in American society, discriminate against Muslim Americans, and portray them as violent and less valuable American citizens. Furthermore, this study informs teachers\u27 curriculum and material choices such that misrepresentations about Islam and Muslims are mitigated. Finally, this project presents suggestions for a critical anti-Islamophobic, anti-imperialist educational initiative for educators to teach about 9/11 and its aftermath in a way that challenges Islamophobia and alleviates misconceptions about Islam and Muslims