Nida Mahfoud

Proposed Title

Developing Resilient Islamic Identity Among Muslim Teenage Girls in Western Societies

Supervisors

Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor Zuleyha Keskin
Co-Supervisor: Professor Mohamad Abdalla and Dr Sadek Ansari

Research

Muslim teenage girls living in contemporary Western societies are growing up within complex social, cultural, and educational environments where multiple identities, values, and worldviews meet. Adolescence is widely recognised as a critical period for identity formation, during which young people develop their sense of self, belonging, values, and purpose. For Muslim girls, this developmental stage often involves navigating their Islamic beliefs alongside broader societal influences such as secularism, social media, peer culture, and evolving gender expectations.

While many Muslim teenage girls develop a confident and stable sense of Islamic identity, others may experience tension, uncertainty, or pressure as they negotiate competing expectations across home, school, peer groups, and wider society. These experiences can influence not only identity development but also psychological wellbeing, sense of belonging, and resilience.

Existing research has explored Muslim identity in Western contexts through themes such as acculturation, Islamophobia, belonging, discrimination, and religiosity. However, much of this literature tends to focus on identity conflict or external challenges, with less attention given to how a resilient Islamic identity is actively encouraged and sustained. In particular, there is limited research that integrates educational, psychological, and social influences alongside Islamic pedagogical understandings of identity development (tarbiyah). This gap highlights the need for a more general exploration of how Muslim teenage girls develop and maintain a strong and resilient Islamic identity within Western societies.

Why I chose Charles Sturt

I’ve had a great experience with CSU throughout my Bachelors and Masters.