Promoting allyship among South Asian and Arab Muslims toward Black and Latino/a Muslims in American Islamic centers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nausheen Pasha-Zaidi ◽  
Meg Aum Warren ◽  
Yvonne Pilar El Ashmawi ◽  
Neneh Kowai-Bell
Keyword(s):  
South Asian ◽  
South Asians ◽  
The United States ◽  
Muslim Americans ◽  
Social Categories ◽  
Islam In America ◽  
The Us ◽  
Racial Dialogue ◽  
Muslim Communities ◽  
Black And Latino

Increased social justice awareness in the United States and shifting demographics are giving birth to a more diverse and egalitarian generation. Improving relations across social categories has been a key topic in di-versity, equity, and inclusion work, but less emphasis has been placed on cross-racial allyship within mi-nority populations. While allyship in racial contexts is often perceived as a White versus non-White issue, this binary position erases the diversity that exists within communities of color. A dichotomous approach to allyship that positions White heterosexual males as the primary holders of privilege does not address the disparities that exist within and across minoritized communities. While Arabs and South Asians are minori-ties in the US on a macrolevel, they often hold privileged positions in Islamic centers and other Muslim spaces—even though Black Americans make up a larger percentage of the Muslim population. Additional-ly, there is an increasing number of Latino/a Muslims in the US, but they are often invisible in larger con-versations about Islam in America as well as in discourse among Muslim Americans. In this chapter, we explore the concept of allyship and how South Asian and Arab Muslims can support and advocate for Black and Latino/a Muslims in American Islamic centers. We also discuss Islamophobia in the US as well as the anti-Blackness and racism that exists within Muslim communities and provide suggestions on how Islamic centers can serve as spaces of allyship and cross-racial dialogue.

The War on Terror and South Asian American Narrative Representation

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anantha Sudhakar
Keyword(s):  
American Literature ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Asian American ◽  
War On Terror ◽  
South Asians ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cultural Practice ◽  
Asian American Literature ◽  
South Asian American ◽  
Muslim Communities

The social and political conditions actuated by 9/11 have been a major catalyst for new literature, television and film about South Asians and Muslims in America. Stemming from a 2001 speech by then-president George W. Bush, the concept of the “War on Terror” has served to rationalize the domestic regulation of Muslims, while also validating the need for US imperialist and capitalist expansion. Where US government discourse highlights first-person narratives that figure America as a benevolent global protector of freedom and democracy, South Asian American fictional and non-fictional narratives posit critiques of Islamophobia and the US security state. Spanning a breadth of genres and styles, including the paradigmatic 9/11 novel, the bildungsroman, comedic satire, dramatic monologue, magic realism, documentary film, and urban fiction, South Asian American literature and media highlight narratives of interfaith and cross-racial solidarity. The imaginary worlds of these texts confront the injustices of US imperialism and the global War on Terror for Muslim communities both in the United States and abroad. At the same, South Asian American representation engaged with the impacts of post-9/11 politics and society has enriched understanding of the complex lived experiences of Pakistani and Bangladeshi Americans, as well as those of Indian Americans who are Muslim or trace their ancestry to the Sikh-majority state of Punjab. By centering the perspectives of those communities most affected by detention, xenophobia, and surveillance, post-9/11 South Asian American literature and media reveal how the exigencies of history produce new forms of narrative and cultural practice.

Domestic Violence Victimization among South Asian Immigrant Men and Women in the United States

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110152
Author(s):  
Abha Rai ◽  
Y. Joon Choi
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Domestic Violence ◽  
South Asian ◽  
South Asians ◽  
The United States ◽  
Asian Immigrant ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Violence Victimization ◽  
Immigrant Men ◽  
South Asian Immigrant

Domestic violence is a pernicious social problem in the United States and a cause of national concern. The South Asian culture disempowers individuals experiencing domestic violence from recognizing and reporting victimization. Structural inequities may also discourage reporting victimization. These issues have led to inconsistent findings of domestic violence prevalence rates. Additionally, domestic violence studies with South Asians in the United States have predominantly focused on women, omitting men from this purview of research. The purpose of this study was to examine domestic violence victimization rates as well as their correlates among South Asian immigrant men and women. The sample for this cross-sectional study included 468 South Asians across the 50 U.S. states. Descriptive statistics were used to establish rates of domestic violence victimization. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to examine the correlates of domestic violence victimization. All of the sociodemographic information was added in step 1, and acculturation and gender-role attitudes were added as covariates in step 2. The most prevalent type of domestic violence victimization was physical violence (48%), followed by emotional (38%), economic (35%), verbal (27%), immigration-related (26%), in-laws related (19%), and ultimately sexual abuse (11%). Prevalence rates were higher for women than for men in each type of violence. According to the logistic regression results, education, generational position, family type, and employment were significant correlates of domestic violence victimization. Prior to development of prevention programs by community agencies, it is essential to understand the nature and prevalence of domestic violence experiences among South Asians. The victimization of men in addition to women adds to the novelty of this research study and paves the way for practitioners and scholars to engage in conversations about providing both male and female victims of domestic violence with the needed resources and support. The article will discuss implications for research, practice, and policy.

Abstract P199: Mean Lipoprotein Levels and Composition in South Asian-Americans Compared to the US Population

Circulation ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 125 (suppl_10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Flowers ◽  
Cesar Molina ◽  
Ashish Mathur ◽  
Bradley Aouizerat ◽  
Mintu Turakhia
Keyword(s):  
South Asian ◽  
South Asians ◽  
Low Density Lipoproteins ◽  
Lipid Lowering ◽  
Lipid Lowering Therapy ◽  
Low Density ◽  
Cvd Risk ◽  
South Asian Americans ◽  
Lowering Therapy ◽  
The Us

Background South Asians have increased disk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) that is not captured by traditional risk factors, including TC and LDL-c. Low-density apolipoprotein-B (apoB) containing lipoproteins are heterogeneous in size and composition, and the particles with the greatest triglyceride content are thought to ultimately be the most atherogenic. Specific composition of low-density lipoproteins is not captured by common lipid measures (i.e. TC, LDL-c). A high proportion of triglyceride-rich low-density lipoproteins could be a mechanism for CVD risk in South Asians. Our objective was to compare mean TC, LDL-c, HDL-c, triglycerides, and apoB-triglyceride ratio (an estimate of low-density lipoprotein content) between South Asian-Americans and the US population. Methods We studied 2,876 South Asian adults living in the United States participating in a wellness program. Demographics were obtained by self-report. Lipoprotein levels were measured after 10-hour fast. US population means were calculated from NHANES (2007-2008, n = 5,113). Individuals on lipid-lowering therapy were excluded (780 (33%) South Asians, 1,194 (19%) NHANES). Results LDL-c (118mg/dL vs 116mg/dL, p<0.05) and triglycerides (139mg/dL vs 131 mg/dL, p<0.05) were higher in South Asians than the US population, whereas TC was lower (192mg/dL vs 197 mg/dL, p<0.05). HDL-c was lower in South Asians (46mg/dL vs 52mg/dL, p<0.05). ApoB was not statistically significantly different (93mg/dL vs 92mg/dL, p = 0.1), however the apoB/triglyceride ratio was lower in South Asians (0.8 vs 0.9, p<0.05). After stratifying for age by decade and gender, we found that South Asians have lower HDL-c until the age of 50, and lower apoB/triglyceride ratio until the age of 60, with no substantial differences between men and women. Conclusions Mean TC, LDL-c, and triglycerides were normal in South Asians, however the apoB/triglyceride ratio was lower in South Asians than in the US population. This finding indicates that a higher proportion of low-density lipoproteins in South Asians are of the triglyceride-rich atherogenic type. This may portend non-HDL-c as a better indicator of CVD risk than LDL-c in South Asians. Further, low apoB/triglyceride ratio and low HDL-c occurs at a young age in South Asians, suggesting that onset of risk is early. The disappearance of these patterns after age 60 may be the result of sample bias (excluding individuals on lipid lowering therapy), and/or survival bias.

Abstract P149: A Large-scale Multi Ethnic Study of a Direct Measure of Insulin Sensitivity Demonstrates That South Asians are the Most Insulin Resistant Ethnic Group in the US

Circulation ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 125 (suppl_10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica S Divakaruni ◽  
Fahim Abbasi ◽  
Manisha Desai ◽  
Cynthia A Lamendola ◽  
Latha Palaniappan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Sensitivity ◽  
Ethnic Group ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
South Asians ◽  
Insulin Resistant ◽  
The Us ◽  
Resistant Group ◽  
Direct Measures

Introduction: Insulin resistance (IR) is a known risk factor for heart disease. Few studies have compared race/ethnic differences in IR using ‘gold standard’ direct measures of insulin sensitivity. Methods: A total of 892 non-diabetic subjects (548 White, 106 South Asian, 103 East Asian, 86 Hispanic and 49 Black) underwent a 4-hour insulin suppression test (IST) as a part of various IR related studies at Stanford over the last ∼20 years. We used generalized estimating equations assuming an exchangeable correlation structure to determine the association between race/ethnicity and steady state plasma glucose (SSPG) derived from an IST, accounting for correlation of outcomes among subjects from the same study. We similarly determined whether differences in plasma triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels among race/ethnic groups could be explained by differences in SSPG. All analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and BMI. Results: Significant differences among the race/ethnic groups in SSPG were observed (p <0.001). South Asians were the most insulin resistant group with a mean increase in SSPG of 38 mg/dL, compared to whites after controlling for age, sex, and BMI, a difference equivalent to ∼1/2 of the standard deviation of SSPG. East Asians were the next most resistant group (mean +33 mg/dl SSPG compared to whites) followed by Hispanics (+20 mg/dl), Whites, and Blacks (−7 mg/dl). South Asians were the only group with significantly higher TG (mean +1.16 fold, p=0.04) and lower HDL (−3.0 mg/dl, p=0.02) levels compared to whites but these differences were no longer evident after controlling for SSPG. In contrast, Blacks had significantly lower TG (mean 0.8 fold, p = 0.006) compared to whites, but this difference was not at all mitigated after adjusting for SSPG. Blacks also had no significant differences in HDL compared to whites. Conclusions: Direct measures of insulin sensitivity suggest that South Asians are the most insulin resistant race/ethnic group in the US even after adjusting for the principal determinants of IR. IR may be largely responsible for differences in TG and HDL observed between South Asian and other race/ethnic groups. The etiologies behind differences in insulin sensitivity across race/ethnic groups remain to be determined.

Introduction

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Himanee Gupta-Carlson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Asian American ◽  
South Asians ◽  
The United States ◽  
The South ◽  
South Asian American ◽  
Auto Ethnography ◽  
Race And Religion

The introduction introduces the central themes of the book and highlights its significance. It opens by exploring the wedding of the (a Hindu female of Indian ancestry) to a white, Christian male and places racial and religious tensions embedded in that event within the larger context of race and religion as organizing forces in American life. The introduction also describes auto-ethnography and discourse analysis, and discusses how these methods are used throughout the work. It also offers a profile of the South Asian American community in Muncie and of South Asians in the United States.

Animating Gandhi

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shilpa S. Davé
Keyword(s):  
South Asian ◽  
Asian Americans ◽  
Asian American ◽  
South Asians ◽  
The United States ◽  
White Masculinity ◽  
South Asian American ◽  
American Character ◽  
South Asian Americans ◽  
Asian History

This chapter discusses how the Indian American character is the accent or the suburban “sidekick” character to the dominant narratives of young, white masculinity that are prevalent in American culture. The representation and use of the historical figure Mohandas Gandhi in the MTV animated series Clone High revisits and challenges American representations of Asian Americans and South Asian Americans as model minorities. The use of the historical leader Gandhi as a teenage “geek” sidekick without recognition of how Gandhi fits into South Asian history and influences South Asian American communities shows how American stereotypes dwarf any other representation of South Asians or South Asian Americans in the United States.

scholarly journals Language and negotiation of ethnic/racial identity among Dominican Americans

2000 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 555-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Racial Identity ◽  
Rhode Island ◽  
Social Categorization ◽  
The United States ◽  
Spanish Language ◽  
Social Categories ◽  
Racial Categories ◽  
Racial Categorization ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
The Us

The ethnolinguistic terms in which the children of Dominican immigrants in Rhode Island think of themselves, i.e. as “Spanish” or “Hispanic,” are frequently at odds with the phenotype-based racial terms “Black” or “African American,” applied to them by others in the United States. Spanish language is central to resisting such phenotype-racial categorization, which denies Dominican Americans their Hispanic ethnicity. Through discourse analysis of naturally occurring peer interaction at a high school, this article shows how a Dominican American who is phenotypically indistinguishable from African Americans uses language, in both intra- and inter-ethnic contexts, to negotiate identity and resist ascription to totalizing phenotype-racial categories. In using language to resist such hegemonic social categorization, the Dominican second generation is contributing to the transformation of existing social categories and the constitution of new ones in the US.

scholarly journals Knowledge of osteopathic manipulative medicine and osteopathic physicians in a New York South Asian community

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasmine Lee ◽  
Chun Maung ◽  
Jenzel Espares ◽  
Justin Chen ◽  
Frenda Yip ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
South Asian ◽  
The United States ◽  
Osteopathic Medicine ◽  
Primary Language ◽  
The South ◽  
Asian Community ◽  
The Us ◽  
South Asian Community ◽  
Osteopathic Physicians

Abstract Context Research regarding patient awareness of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) can help identify barriers and factors limiting patient knowledge. Levels of knowledge about OMM and osteopathic physicians have been studied in New York’s Chinese and Korean populations, but have not previously been investigated in the South Asian population. Objectives To assess the knowledge of OMM and osteopathic physicians within a South Asian community of New York. Methods A cross-sectional study was designed in which a culturally appropriate survey, provided in both English and Hindi, was administered to study participants in order to measure knowledge of osteopathic medicine. The study utilized convenience sampling and distributed surveys to individuals who identified themselves of South Asian descent at high traffic sites in Hicksville, New York. The survey contained 10 questions, assessing the individual’s knowledge of osteopathic medicine. The Kruskal–Wallis and Chi-Square tests were employed to determine statistical significance of the data obtained from the surveys. Results The survey was conducted on 100 participants in Hicksville, New York. The respondent demographics included 53 males and 47 females with an average age of 41.2 ± 16.3 years old. There were 34 (34%) participants who had heard of osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) and 26 (26%) participants who had knowledge of doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) physicians. Respondents were found more likely to have knowledge of DOs if they were born in the United States (US) vs. other countries (US, 8 of 14 [57.1%] vs. others, 18 of 86 [20.9%]; p=0.006) or lived longer in the US (11 of 26 [42.3%], p=0.039). Participants who spoke a non-English primary language were also found less likely to have knowledge of DOs as they made up 46 of the 58 respondents who indicated no knowledge (79.3%, p=0.042). Conclusions A general lack of knowledge of DOs and OMM exists within the South Asian community of Hicksville, New York and lower levels of awareness were found among participants who were male, born outside the US, had a language other than English as their primary language, and had spent less time in the US. Additional educational resources may be implemented to increase awareness of DOs and OMM among this and similar communities.

scholarly journals Social network characteristics are correlated with dietary patterns among middle aged and older South Asians living in the United States (U.S.)

BMC Nutrition ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sameera A. Talegawkar ◽  
Nicola Lancki ◽  
Yichen Jin ◽  
Juned Siddique ◽  
Meghana Gadgil ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Social Network ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Dietary Intervention ◽  
South Asians ◽  
The United States ◽  
Animal Protein ◽  
High Fat ◽  
Network Characteristics

Abstract Background Social and cultural norms, operating through social networks, may influence an individual’s dietary choices. We examined correlations between social network characteristics and dietary patterns among South Asians in the United States (U.S.) Methods Data from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) Social Network study were analyzed among 756 participants (mean age = 59 y standard deviation [SD] = 9 y; 44% women). A culturally adapted, validated food frequency questionnaire was used for dietary assessment. A posteriori dietary patterns using principal component analysis were named 1) animal protein, 2) fried snacks, sweets and high-fat dairy, and 3) fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes. Social network characteristics were assessed using a standard egocentric approach, where participants (egos) self-reported data on perceived dietary habits of their network members. Partial correlations between social network characteristics and egos’ dietary patterns were examined. Results The mean social network size of egos was 4.2 (SD = 1.1), with high proportion of network members being family (72%), South Asian ethnicity (89%), and half having daily contact. Animal protein pattern scores were negatively correlated with fruits and cooked vegetables consumption of network. Fried snacks, sweets and high-fat dairy pattern scores were positively correlated with sugar-sweetened beverages, South Asian sweets, fried/fast foods and ghee (clarified butter) consumption of network. Fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes pattern scores were positively correlated with vegetables, fruits, and brown rice/quinoa consumption of network. Conclusions Network member characteristics and their perceived dietary behaviors were correlated with dietary patterns of egos. Dietary intervention studies among South Asians should consider social network characteristics as candidate components for dietary intervention.

“So, Are You Hindi?”

2019 ◽  
pp. 373-391
Author(s):  
M. Gail Hickey
Keyword(s):  
South Asian ◽  
Skin Color ◽  
Religious Affiliation ◽  
South Asians ◽  
The United States ◽  
Geographic Region ◽  
South Asian Immigrants ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
American Society ◽  
Migration Experiences

Immigrant children and adolescents living in the United States encounter significant stressors during the acculturation process, particularly in the schooling context. South Asian immigrants identify strongly with religious and geographic region background. This chapter investigates intersections between religion and education in U.S. South Asians' post-migration experiences in the American Midwest. Findings suggest South Asian children enrolled in U.S. schools are confronted daily by the duality between their parents' birth culture and mainstream values and traditions of the host culture. Participants and their families experience prejudice and racism in daily activities, including school. Prejudice ranges from judgments about English-speaking ability to doubts about the South Asian education system to prepare workers for U.S. jobs. Findings show religious affiliation, accent, skin color, and ethnic dress create barriers for South Asians trying to fit into everyday American society.

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