The RUMI FORUM’S Center for Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue Luncheon Speaker Series hosted “Challenges and Opportunities of Integrating New Muslim Immigrants into American Society: A Multi theoretical and Multi-methodological Analysis” by Dr. Abdul Karim Bangura, Howard University.
The Rumi Forum hosted a luncheon with Dr. Abdul Karim Bangura entitled, “Challenges and Opportunities of Integrating New Muslim Immigrants into American Society: A Multi-theoretical and Multim-methodological Analysis”. Dr. Bangura discussed the challenges and opportunities facing new Muslim immigrants in their efforts to be integrated into American society which is multifaceted and complex and hardly a matter of dispute. Dr. Bangura stated that, ‘consequently, a systematic analysis of these challenges and opportunities behooves an analyst to employ multiple theories and methodologies to capture their essence. In examining available, albeit disjointed, works on the topic and drawing upon empirical observations, the following themes seem to be prominent: (a) relationships between Muslim and non-Muslim Americans in a predominantly Christian context, (b) traditional Muslim values and their effects on modern American Muslims and their status, (c) Islamic practice and non-practice, (d) traditional women’s roles and sexuality as related to the hijab, (e) reactions toward Muslim edifices, (f) reactions toward Islamic literature, (g) the impact of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and (h) the media’s portrayal of Islam and Muslims.’ Following the talk participants enjoyed refreshments and discussion with Dr. Bangura.
Abdul Karim Bangura holds a B.A. in International Studies, an M.A. in International Affairs, a Graduate Diploma in the Social Sciences, an M.S. in Linguistics, a Ph.D. in Political Science, a Ph.D. in Development Economics, a Ph.D. in Linguistics, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science. A Muslim who attended a Roman Catholic school and served mass as an Altar Boy in Sierra Leone and studied Judaism under the tutelage of revered Rabbis in Italy, Bangura is well schooled in the Abrahamic connections. Bangura is the author and/or editor of 57 books and more than 400 scholarly articles. His recent books include Nkosi Sikeleli’ iAfrica: A Linguistic Pragmatic Analysis (in press), Islamic Civilization, Amity, Equanimity and Tranquility (in press), Keyboard Jihad: Attempts to Rectify Misperceptions and Misrepresentations of Islam (in press), Islam and Political-Economic Systems (in press), and Islamic Peace Paradigms (2005) among many others. He is currently a professor of Research Methodology and Public Policy in the Department of Political Science and coordinator of the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) initiative at Howard University and a researcher-in-residence at the Center for Global Peace at American University.