The Reports of Arab Faculty Regarding Microaggressions in University Campuses in the United States Using a Phenomenological Approach

Abstract

Arab faculty faced challenges building collegial relationships and positive classroom environments due to the discrimination they faced from colleagues and students. This discrimination took the form of microaggressions which included: microassaults; microinsults; and microinvalidations. This phenomenological study concluded that Arab faculty encountered microaggressions primarily due to their Arab identity and Islamic religion. They reported that these microaggressions were related to cultural, religious, gender, and linguistic discrimination. Microaggressions were related to faculty responses regarding Arab cultural and political issues. They reported this impacted their sense of belonging, particularly when they faced with being ignored and avoided by their colleagues. Their reported feelings of alienation and underappreciation hindered their ability to fully engage and contribute to the academic community. It is recommended that addressing and resolving microaggressions by having all faculty engage in professional development is essential for fostering a truly inclusive and supportive environment in higher education. Keywords: Arab faculty, microaggressions, microassaults, microinsults, microinvalidations linguistic discrimination (LD).