UC Riverside

The educational values of Muslim students are largely informed by their religious beliefs as the pursuit of knowledge holds significant importance within Islam. Yet, higher education institutions have often disregarded the religious and educational needs of Muslim students. This study examines the way religious identity interacts with structures of race and gender on campus in shaping the educational experiences of Muslim undergraduate students attending four-year public higher education institutions in Southern California. To examine such dynamics, this study uses a qualitative case study approach, drawing on document analysis and semi-structured qualitative interviews with South Asian and Arab Muslim undergraduate students.The findings from this study highlight 1) Muslim students’ educational experience and background, 2) their religious commitment and practice in higher education, and 3) how they negotiate their Muslim religious identity in higher education. In chapter five, I highlight why Muslim students choose to pursue higher education, what factors affect their educational trajectory, and how they navigate the opportunities and challenges they encounter. In chapter six, I examine how Muslim undergraduate students sustain their religious commitment and practice in university. In chapter seven, I explore how religious organizations shape Muslim religious identity and practice in higher education. Religious organizations on campus include the Muslim Student Association which serves as a campus-based religious community that provides Muslim students with accessible religious resources and the opportunity to create interpersonal relationships. Lastly, in chapter eight, I focus on how institutions respond to Muslim student activism and political participation. This reveals how administrations frame Muslim students as a threat to campus order, regulate free speech, and impose disciplinary control. With these findings in mind, I then present implications and contributions for both higher education research and practice.