International Muslim Students in the US: The Accountability of Educators

Ahmad Al-Issa,Laila S Dahan

doi:10.22161/jhed.1.6.2

Abstract

International Muslim students have been pursuing higher education in the US for decades. They choose the US for its renowned institutions of higher education and its welcoming attitude. However, today’s geopolitical situation, in light of the ‘travel ban’ and the rhetoric (pre and post-election), has created unprecedented fear and concerns among Muslim students currently enrolled in US institutions as well as those outside the US who are debating whether to attend universities in the US. This article argues that globalization and crossing borders will persist, and there will always be Muslim students who are interested in furthering their education in the US. It also calls for more effort and support on the part of US institutions of higher education to ease Muslim students’ international educational experience on their campuses as this will not only benefit these students but also their universities and the US at large.

Highlights

According to Cora Du Bois (1956), one of the earliest scholars to have documented the history of international students in the United States, the pursuit of learning beyond the boundaries of one’s own community, nation, or culture is as old as learning itself...and reflects the ability of human beings to communicate with each other at varying levels and with varying sophistication across the barriers of social particularities
International students have been coming to the United States to further their educations for decades
The impact of the travel ban has led to concern among Muslim international students currently in the US and for those Muslim students outside the US who are debating whether to attend universities in the US

Summary

INTRODUCTION

According to Cora Du Bois (1956), one of the earliest scholars to have documented the history of international students in the United States, the pursuit of learning beyond the boundaries of one’s own community, nation, or culture is as old as learning itself...and reflects the ability of human beings to communicate with each other at varying levels and with varying sophistication across the barriers of social particularities (cited in Banjong & Olson, 2016, p. 5). The impact of the travel ban has led to concern among Muslim international students currently in the US and for those Muslim students outside the US who are debating whether to attend universities in the US. Hundreds of Arab and Muslim students withdrew from their US institutions and returned to their home countries to avoid potential reprisals (McMurtie, 2001) Many of those students chose to go to Australia, Canada, the UK, New Zealand, or India (Urias & Yeakey, 2005). As globalization continually pushes people across borders, there will always be Muslim students who are interested in furthering their education in the US Due to this fact, US institutions of higher education need to be more aware of who their Muslim students are and what can be done to ease Muslim students’ international educational experiences. The current geopolitical climate is turning many Muslim students away from the US as their destination for higher education

ENROLLMENT DECLINE

WHAT EDUCATORS NEED TO KNOW

Findings

VIII. CONCLUSION