Using Narrative Inquiry to Understand Anti-Muslim Racism in Canadian Nursing.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Social Sciences
• Anti-Racism Studies

Background:

• Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism are increasing globally, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Gendered Islamophobia specifically targets Muslim women who wear the hijab.
• Anti-Muslim racism in Canadian nursing remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand anti-Muslim racism through the lived experiences of nurses who wear the hijab.
• To develop a counter-narrative that challenges and disrupts anti-Muslim racism within Canadian nursing.
• To amplify the voices and experiences of Muslim nurses.

Main Methods:

• Utilized narrative inquiry as the primary research methodology.
• Employed Critical Race Feminism, care ethics, and intersectionality for analysis.
• Developed composite narratives to present findings and the nurses' counter-narrative.

Main Results:

• Three composite narratives highlight the experiences of Muslim nurses: 'This is Who I Am: A Muslim Nurse with a Hijab and an Accent,' 'I Know What is at Play: Unveiling Operating Power Structures and Power Relations,' and 'Rewriting the Narrative: Navigating Power Structures and Power Relations.'
• Findings reveal the intersections of gendered and racial divisions of labor, religious narratives, and power relations in nursing that contribute to anti-Muslim racism.
• Muslim nurses actively reclaimed agency to resist racialized stereotypes and challenge operating power structures.

Conclusions:

• Anti-Muslim racism in nursing is perpetuated through complex, intersecting power relations.
• Sharing personal stories can be a catalyst for transformative change.
• The study advocates for the adoption of anti-racist practices, policies, and pedagogy in nursing.