Project description
Immigrant Muslim women navigating identity in virtual reality
Across Europe, Muslim immigrant and refugee women face varying degrees of social exclusion due to ethnicity and/or gender. Despite being a growing immigrant population, their integration remains challenging. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the IMWVR project investigates how Muslim immigrant and refugee women experience and use immersive social virtual reality (VR) environments. Immersive social VR, such as online social media platforms, can both facilitate identity exploration and reinforce marginalisation. Through focus groups and detailed interviews, IMWVR researchers will study Afghan and Iranian women in Italy. Overall, the results will provide insights to inform EU policies promoting social cohesion and digital inclusion.
Objective
This research explores the behavior of immigrant and refugee Muslim women in Europe within immersive social virtual reality (VR) environments. As a significant demographic among global migrants, these women encounter unique challenges in integration, which often lead to social exclusion. Immersive VR platforms offer opportunities for social inclusion, intercultural communication, and identity exploration among diverse marginalized groups, including refugees. However, they also have the potential to perpetuate existing marginalization. Understanding the experiences of these communities is crucial. The research utilizes a comprehensive theoretical framework that combines cyberfeminist theory, Social Identity Theory, and Berry's Acculturation Theory. The primary aim is to comprehend how immigrant Muslim women construct and negotiate their identities in immersive social VR settings, particularly focusing on the interplay of culture, religion, and gender. The study uses netnographic methodology, conducting in-depth interviews and focus groups with a group of immigrant and refugee Afghan and Iranian women residing in Italy. The participants are recruited through interpersonal networks and local community organizations. This research contributes to both cyberfeminist theory and digital identity studies, as well as immigrant studies. Furthermore, the findings of this study are expected to inform the development of more inclusive virtual spaces and guide European Union policies on digital inclusion, ultimately fostering social cohesion.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- social sciences psychology
- social sciences sociology demography human migrations
- humanities philosophy, ethics and religion religions
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
43121 PARMA
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.