The Socialization of Muslim Children in America Toward A Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Introduction
Within the social and behavioral sciences, the study of socialization has
occupied a central position. A commonly accepted definition that has been
offered by Brim describes socialization as "the process by which individuals
acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that enable them to participate
as more or less effective members of groups and the societym1 Thus,
socializaton is a prooess that begins at birth and extends thmughout the course
of an individual's life. For the Muslim, this acquisition of knowledge, skills
and dispositions must be a process guided by the Qur'an and Sunnah. The
knowledge of Allah's will and the laws and patterns of His creation represent,
in essence, all that can be known. The Qur'an is the guidebook in the quest
for knowledge while the skills and dispositions needed by the Muslims are
reflected in the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAAS). His Hadith and Sunnah
provide the Muslim with a realistic conat within which to apply abilities
and attitudes in an Islamic manner. It is doubtful that any Muslim would
question the relevance of the Qur'an and Sunnah to the socialization process.
However, when this processes takes place within a non-Muslim society like
America, the complexity of their application becomes an issue that requires
considerable attention. This paper will seek to address this complexity by
suggesting a conceptual framework for examining the socialization of Muslim
children in America. First of all, it will contrast Islamic and Western
perspectives on socialization. Secondly, in an effort to "Islamize" our thmking
about socialization, it will offer a clefinition of successful Muslim socialization.
Thirdly, the paper will contrast the Islamic and Western world-views and
discuss their implications for the socialization of minority status groups in
America. Finally, the paper will suggest elements of a conceptual framework
that can be used to study the socialization of Muslim children in America.
In sha'a Allah, this effort will serve as a stimulus for those who wish to
systematically study Muslim socialization in the American context.
Western Perspectives on Socialization
Levine has suggested that three different perspectives on the socialization
process have dominated Western behavioral science theory and research, each
reflecting a specific disciplinary orientation. Cultural anthropology sees
socialization as enculturation or the intergenerational transmission of culture.
This point of view sees the child as essentially a blank slate (tabula rasa),
or as an organism that acquires culture by being immersed in it. The
enculturation perspective, in its more sophisticated form also recognizes the
role of cognitive processes in socialization. The desired outcome seems to
be an individual who has absorbed the culture in which he has been raised ...