Date of Award
Spring 2020
Degree Type
Honors Project
School
College of Liberal Arts
First Advisor
Robin Parritz
Second Advisor
Douglas Hartmann
Abstract
Extracurricular activities, especially those that include physical activity, are important for the development of a child's personal skills, relationships, and socialization into the community and general culture. As the opportunities for out-of-school youth activities expand and become more privatized, many parents struggle to financially keep up. These activities have become less accessible to kids from low-income and/or families of color. This project focuses on the unique challenges that Muslim youth face when participating in extracurricular activities. It uses two different sets of data and methods: (1) a close reading of existing research on the experience of Muslim youth in extracurricular activities (mostly from European contexts); and (2) exploratory interviews with seven Minnesota Muslim youth and their families about their personal experiences of extracurricular sports and activities. This research shows that Muslim Americans have understandings and expectations about youth activities that are similar to many other American parents and kids, but also identifies distinctive racial and religious challenges that Muslim youth face when participating in activities. Future research is proposed to fully document and explain the experiences of Muslim youth, including where changes need to be made to best support these youth.
Recommended Citation
Abdullahi, Aaisha, "Extracurricular Activities and Positive Outcomes: Unique Challenges for Muslim Youth in the United States" (2020). Departmental Honors Projects. 107.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/dhp/107
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
Departmental Honors Projects