Abstracts Category : Other

Employment experiences of tertiary educated Australian Muslim women in Sydne's multicultural society and their religious identity

by Gwendolyn Gai Scott

Theoretical thesis. Bibliography: Pages 265-305. Chapter 1 Introduction Chapter 2 Australian multiculturalism, Muslim women and work Chapter 3 Aspects of identity formation Chapter 4 The dynamics of exclusion in the secular workplace Chapter 5 Appearance as an identity Chapter 6 Dynamics and boundaries of group 'belonging' in the workplace Chapter 7 Conclusion. The aim of this thesis is to contribute to the anthropological understanding of the impact a religious identity may have on the expectations and experiences of tertiary educated Muslim women who are in paid employment in a Western nation. Its broader aim is to further, and deepen, our understanding of the negotiation of religious and cultural differences in the realm of paid employment. A critical investigation is conducted into forty first and second generation Australian Muslim women (the participants) in the age group 25-50 years who have been employed in the professional or corporate workplace for a minimum of four years in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The majority of these women has transcended their socio-economic origins by attaining tertiary qualifications and it is because of these credentials that they now enter their workplace environments on an equal footing with staff who hold similar professional qualifications- in particular their Anglo Australian female counterparts. Australian Muslims are largely misunderstood by the majority population and stereotypical notions about Muslims abound, largely based on assumptions regarding their religion, culture, lifestyles and aspirations. A major aim of this thesis encompassesencounters of exclusion experienced by the participants. The research analyses how theparticipants' understanding of social norms are marginalised in the context of paid employment and identifies some of the negative consequences social exclusion has for the participants' positive sense of self, as well as for the Muslim community's sense of solidarity. There is much intercultural enquiry into the integration of ethnically and culturally diverse societies that, in turn, provides a wide range of conceptual frameworks to examine the tensions and complexities associated with the inclusion and exclusion of minority groups and individuals. There is limited enquiry concerned with tertiary educated Australian Muslim women and the effects of social exclusion on the formation of the identity that they bring to their workplace environments. This thesis aims to address this gap using ethnographic research that involved 18 months' fieldwork in Sydney. In terms of this theme of identity in the workplace, three aspects are chosen to understand the experiences that have influenced the participants' identity formation,both as first and second generation Australian Muslim women and daughters of first generation immigrants: the identity that has been influenced by experiences of stereotyping and exclusion in everyday living; the role that appearance plays in negotiating an identity in the workplace environment; theAdvisors/Committee Members: Macquarie University. Department of Anthropology.