About ISG

1

How Iranian Americans perceive each other?

Sara Sarkhiliwith special thanks to Hazhir Rahmandad

Iranian Studies Group at MIThttp://www.isg-mit.org/

IAAB 2007

2

About ISGIranian Studies Group (ISG) at MIT

A non-partisan, non-profit, academic organization with the goal of promoting Iranian civil society through conducting research on issues related to the Iranian society in Iran and abroad

ISG goals • Bridge the gap between research, public knowledge, and policy-making

• Create a network of academics, community leaders and interested individuals in Iran, the U.S., and other parts of the world

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Survey Characteristics• Online survey between January-March 2005• 3880 Valid Responses• 62.4% male and, 37.6% female respondents• Around 60% Naturalized U.S. Citizens (first generation IA), 12% U.S.-born, 12% permanent residents, 8% students , and the rest asylums, skilled workers, etc.• Average age of respondents between 35-49• Average education of respondents, B.S. and then M.S. degree

4

What factors determine how Iranians introduce

themselves?

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Methods• Logistic regression estimating the

probability of “yes” answer to the question of:

“When asked, you introduce yourself as…”• Independent Variables:

Age, Gender, Income, Interaction with Iranians, Visiting Iran, Recently Moved to U.S., Education, Religion, Ethnicity, Residency status, Marital Status, Spouse nationality

Next Pages: Reporting the statistically significant variables only

6

Analysis Factors

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

When MovedTo U.S

SpouseNationality

InteractionWith Iranians

VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency

DemographicRelation to Iran(ians)

Ethnicity

Religion

7

Introduce as Persian

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

When MovedTo U.S

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

Age

WestCoast


VisitingIran

Persian

8

Introduce as Iranian

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

Period MovedTo Iran

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

Age

Student

Atheist

EastCoast

When MovedTo U.S


Christian

9

Introduce depends on the situation

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

Period MovedTo Iran

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

When movedTo U.S


Azari

Female

Muslim

10

What factors determine how Iranians living in U.S. perceive

each other?

11

What is your perception of the Iranian-American community in terms of “Support for each

other”?

12


Perception of being supportive

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

When Moved To U.S

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

Female

Education

U.SCitizen

JewishChristian

13

What is your perception of the Iranian-American community in terms of “Preservation of

cultural values”?

14

Perception of cultural values

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

Period MovedTo Iran

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

Female

Education

When movedTo U.S


Muslim

15

What is your perception of the Iranian-American community

in terms of “Social etiquette”?

16

Perception of Social Etiquette

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

When MovedTo U.S

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

Age

Education

Income

InteractionWith IraniansU.S

Citizen

Muslim

AtheistChristian

17


in terms of “Economic contributions to the U.S.”?

18

Perception of Economic Contribution

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

When MovedTo U.S

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

Education

Income


Persian

Muslim Agnostic

19

What is your perception of the Iranian-American community in terms of “Respect of other communities and cultures” ?

20

Respect for other communities

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

When MovedTo U.S

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

Age

Education

Azari

Muslim

AtheistJewish

21


in terms of “Business ethics”?

22

Business Ethics

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

When Moved To U.S

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

Age

WestCoast Education


Muslim

Jewish

23

What is your perception of the Iranian-American community in terms of “Team work” ?

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Team work

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

When MovedTo U.S

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

EducationInteraction

With Iranians

Atheist

Zoroastrian

25

Overall Patterns

How Iranians introduce themselves

• Age• Interaction with other Iranians• When moved to U.S• How often they visit Iran

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Overall Patterns

Perception of Iranians of their community

• Education• Religion: Muslims and Atheists• Residency: U.S Citizens• Interaction with other Iranians

27

Future Research

• Patterns of discrimination and its reporting

• Spouse nationality selection• Patterns of media consumption• Charity contributions• Going back to Iran• Appeal of Iranian cultural aspects

28

More discussions

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Introduce as Iranian-American

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

When MovedTo U.S

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

Age


Visiting Iran

Student

30

Introduce as Persian-American

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

When Moved To U.S

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

VisitingIran

Atheist

31

Introduce As American

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

Period MovedTo Iran

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion

Education

When MovedTo U.S


32


in terms of “Civic participation” ?

33

Civic Participation

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

When MovedTo U.S

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion


With Iranians

Agnostic

Atheist

34


in terms of “Support for common community goals”?

35

Support for common community goals

Maritalstatus

Age

Location

Gender

Education

Income

When MovedTo U.S

SpouseNationality


VisitingIran

Azari

OtherEthnicities

KurdishPersian

Gilak

Permanent

Refugee

U.SCitizen

Student

SkilledWorker

Muslim

BahaiiSpiritual

Agnostic

AtheistJewish

Christian

Zoroastrian

Residency


Ethnicity

Religion


With IraniansU.SCitizen

Spiritual

Atheist

36

Demographic

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

somehighschool

highschooldiploma

B.S. M.S. Ph.D. DMD, JDetc.

Education

ISG SurveyCensus 2000

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Demographic

Age Distribution

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

18-24 25-34 35-49 50-64 65 and above

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Demographic

Up to$24,999

$25,000-$49,999

$50,000-$74,999

$75,000-$99,999

$100,000-$199,999 $200,000-

$499,999$500,000and above

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Household Income

Average IncomeCensus 2000

39

Immigration Period

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

1940-1959 1960-1969 1970-1979 1980-1989 1990-1999 2000-Present

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Ethnicity

Persian 77%

Arab 1%

Azari10%

Baluchi0.5%

Armenian1%

Kurdish 4%

Gilak 3%

Lor2% Turkmen

1%

Assyrian1%

41

Religion Diversity

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Muslim Christian Jewish Baha'i Zorastherian

comfortable in practicing NOT comfortable in practicing Does NOT practice

42

Family: Spouse’s Nationality

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

Iranian American ofIranian Ancestry

American OtherNationalities

43

How often your children have visited Iran?

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

1-2 3-5 6 or more Never

44

Important aspects for Iranian parents in educating their children:

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Persian language

Ethnic language

My Ethnicity

Traditions and Festivities

Religion

History

Music

Literature

Politics

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Frequency of Interaction with Iranians

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

daily weekly monthly rarely never

46

How Iranians introduce themselves?

Persian-American

5%

Iranian-American

13%

Depends on the situation

10%American

2%

Iranian44%

Persian26%

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