CFP: Muslim-Americans at Home Anthology

Valerie Behiery Announcement
Location
United States
Subject Fields
African American History / Studies, American History / Studies, Canadian History / Studies, Literature, Islamic History / Studies

Call for Submissions: Muslim-American Writers at Home

We all possess plural self-identities. North American Muslims are, however, increasingly viewed by their co-citizens through a biased lens in which ‘American’ and ‘Muslim’ are plotted as diametrically opposed to each other. And yet for Muslims, whether newly arrived or having immigrated in an earlier century (or converts), the United States or Canada represent at least one pole of what “home” is. For a projected anthology, we are looking for submissions of poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, or memoir that address themes of “identity” and “home” from North American writers who fully self-identify as Muslim. Themes could include, but are not limited to, topics like:

How you experience your Muslim American identity.
How you or your ancestors made your home in America.
How your Muslim beliefs and practices are integrated into your life here.
What connects you with the home your family migrated from.
How/when you have felt the most welcome here.
How/when you have felt the most misrepresented or misunderstood here.
What you would most like for other people to know about your culture, your beliefs, your journey, etc.

Please send 3-5 poems or prose up to 3500 words to the editors Kitty Costello and Valerie Behiery at muslimamericansathome@gmail.com before October 1st, 2018 (EXTENDED TO 15th). Authors will receive a response by the selection committee (Kitty, Valerie, and Hanan) by December 30th 2018 and hopefully earlier.


About the editors:
Kitty Costello is a poet, writing facilitator, and psychotherapist who uses writing as a tool for insight and healing. Her recent poetry book is entitled Upon Waking. She has served for nearly 30 years on the editorial board of Freedom Voices Publications, which publishes works that speak to and from communities on the margins.

Valerie Behiery, Ph.D., is an arts writer specializing in contemporary culture related to the Muslim World. Dedicated to healing social divisions, her writing has been published in academic journals, art catalogues, and freelance publications like Intense Art Magazine, Azizah, Tribe, Nafas, or esse. She has taught at universities in Canada, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia.

Hanan Hazime is a multidisciplinary artist, community arts educator, and writing facilitator. She has a M.A. in English Literature & Creative Writing. Hanan's writing aims to empower Muslim women and other individuals who have experienced mental health issues. Her debut poetry chapbook “Aorta” was published by ZED Press in April 2018. She is currently working on her first novel.

Contact Information

Dr. Valerie Behiery See email below or on CFP

Contact Email
muslimamericansathome@gmail.com