Teachers' Perspectives on Citizenship Education in Islamic Schools in Michigan

Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals

Y

27

History; Social Studies; Muslims; Citizenship Education; Citizenship; Civics; Semi Structured Interviews; Islam; Religious Education; Private Schools; Fear; Self Concept; Moral Values; Democratic Values; Foreign Policy; Religious Factors

10.1080/00933104.2013.782528

0093-3104

This multiple case study examines how 4 social studies teachers in 2 private Islamic schools in Michigan understand the concept of citizenship education and the dilemmas they face in teaching for unity and diversity and in helping their students negotiate their civics identities within the American sociopolitical context. Data were collected through 2 in-depth semi-structured interviews. The study, which was conducted in 2010, reveals 3 dilemmas that Muslim social studies teachers handle in their classrooms. The first is how to find a balance between education for Islamic and American identities, given the increased Islam-phobia in the larger society and the lack of appropriate materials to show the contributions of Muslims to U.S. history and the world. The second dilemma involves the moral roots of teaching civics in Islamic schools and the contestation between moral absolutism and moral pluralism in the process of teaching for Islamic and democratic identities. Finally, social studies teachers in Islamic schools report that they deal with students' confusion regarding American foreign policies and describe how they approach the tension between students' national and transnational identities. This study adds to our understanding of the complexity of education for religious, national, and transnational identities and shows that citizenship education is influenced by sociopolitical contexts and discourses beyond the classroom setting.

As Provided

48

2013

EJ1003748