Methodology
Conversion to Islam is not a decision taken lightly and deserves a more in-depth analysis than statistics on demographics. This IRB-approved mixed-methods study goes deeper — asking converts to speak for themselves.
Overview
The Feeling Muslim study began with a gap in the scholarly literature: studies of the identity formation of converts to Islam that do not attempt to analyze experiences and acknowledge emotions within different stages of the conversion process. To my knowledge, this is the first study to directly ask converts about their feelings of Muslimness — or what feeling Muslim means to them.
In 2014, 459 women responded to the survey Feeling Muslim: An Intimate Portrait of Identity Cultivation among American Female Converts to Islam. Of those, 281 were complete responses, and of those, 257 self-identified as American (U.S.-born) female converts to Islam — the cohort that forms the basis of this thesis.
As an American female convert to Islam herself, researcher Karla N. Kovacik understood that the most sensitive questions required the safety of anonymity — no face-to-face interaction, no identifying information collected at any point. This conviction shaped every methodological decision that followed.
By the numbers
Research Questions
For you, is there a difference between being/becoming Muslim by taking the shahada, and feeling Muslim?
Once you converted to Islam, did you instantly feel Muslim?
How would you define feeling Muslim? What does feeling Muslim mean to you?
When did you begin to feel Muslim? Were there outside influences that nurtured or hindered your feelings of Muslimness?
Do you feel that you are an integral part of your Muslim community? Would you like to be?
How does feeling Muslim make you feel about yourself as an American?
Design
This study models Joseph Maxwell's Interactive Research Design — a system in which each component is an integral part of the whole, with research questions at the center connecting all other components.
To understand the nuances in conversion experiences of American female converts to Islam, identifying key factors in the development of feelings of Muslimness, enabling communities to better assist converts.
Grounded in the recognition that studies of Muslim Americans do not necessarily include converts, leaving a significant gap in the scholarly literature that this research directly addresses.
An anonymous online survey using a convergent, parallel data-validation variant of mixed methods design — allowing open-ended qualitative and closed-ended quantitative questions to validate one another.
Quantitative and qualitative strands analyzed independently, then merged. Results summarized and interpreted, with discussion of where data converges, diverges, or produces a more complete picture.
Large sample size representative across sects of Islam, races, ethnicities, ages, education levels, and sexual orientations. Frequent member-checks and active searches for discrepant evidence.
Full IRB approval from the University of Georgia. Anonymity was a foundational ethical commitment — no face-to-face interaction, no identifying information collected at any point.
Context
of images of Muslim women in U.S. news media portray them as passive victims — compared with only 15% of Muslim men portrayed this way. This study provides a very different picture.
Women outnumber men in conversions to Islam approximately four to one, according to CAIR surveys — yet women's conversion experiences remain understudied.
People convert to Islam in the United States each year. Understanding their experiences — especially the development of feelings of Muslimness — has never been more urgent.
"An understanding of American female converts to Islam and what makes them feel Muslim could not come at a better time."
— Karla N. Kovacik, M.A.
Timeline
Survey distribution begins
Thousands of women received a link via Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo Groups, and direct outreach to Islamic organizations across the United States.
Data collection closes
After three months, 459 total responses were received — 257 complete responses from U.S.-born female converts to Islam.
Analysis & writing
Quantitative and qualitative strands analyzed independently at the University of Georgia, then merged. Themes coded, categorized, and compared across individuals.
MA thesis completed
Feeling Muslim: Prolegomena to the Study of American Female Converts to Islam submitted and accepted at the University of Georgia under the direction of Dr. Alan 'Abd al-Haqq Godlas.
The project expands
The Feeling Muslim Project launches as a public-facing scholarly hub. The study is expanding to include men and new voices from around the world.
Validity
257 complete responses — large for qualitative research — representative across all branches of Islam, races, ethnicities, ages at conversion, education levels, marital statuses, and varying sexual orientations.
Quantitative and qualitative strands analyzed independently using both manual techniques and QDAMiner with WordStat (CAQDAS), then merged. Independent analysis before merging increases the validity of the study.
Most importantly, the research allows converts to speak for themselves — to define the subject of feeling Muslim, outline their personal journeys, and convey what makes them feel Muslim and what nurtures or hinders those feelings.
"A new moon teaches gradualness and deliberation, and how one gives birth to oneself slowly."
— Rumi