2016 Reports

Issue Brief: Middle Eastern American and Women/Gender Issues

Sinno, Nicole Leila; Smith, Raymond Arthur

This brief focuses on the intersection of Arab Americans and women and gender issues. Today, nearly two thirds of Arab Americans affiliate as Christians while one third are Muslim, yet both groups share certain cultural customs that impact the lives of Arab women living in America. This brief discusses the factors that influence the process of American assimilation, specifically the conflict that Arab American women face in balancing their American identity with their Arab ancestries.