EG20

Title: EG20
Type: Interview
Date: July 22nd, 2019
Description: The respondent is a Jordanian woman who immigrated to the U.S. with her husband in the mid- 1990s. After several years of being in the U.S., they returned to Jordan. They re-immigrated to the U.S. around 2017. They have several adult children and one child who is under nine years old. One of her adult children has epilepsy and an intellectual ability difference. In the interview, the respondent compares how ability differences are handled in the U.S. and Jordan. She made several recommendations for change in the Muslim community, schools, and health care. She also noted the importance of culture in explaining stigma and prejudice that people with ability differences face. She cautioned against attributing such behaviors to Islam. She also explained the importance of the family’s (especially parents’) acceptance of the ability difference and making the issue public, rather than hiding it in secrecy.
Language: English
Subject: Jordan, United States, Epilepsy; intellectual ability difference; Islamic teachings regarding ability differences; changes needed in Mosques, Islamic Centers, and Islamic schools; cultural norms that underlie stigma, criticism, and negative judgments; cultural changes that are needed; faith/religion; how being a parent to a child with an ability difference has made her a better person. 2019,Disability