The Lived Experiences of Married Immigrant Coptic Women in the Context of Their Coptic Orthodox Church

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2015-05-05
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Abstract
The focus of this dissertation is centered on the lived experiences of married immigrant Coptic women in Canada with regards to aspects of living their faith in the context of the culture of their traditional Coptic Orthodox Church. A descriptive phenomenological inquiry was undertaken as a methodological framework to gain understanding of the lived experiences. In an attempt to capture the meaning and the interpretation of the described lived experiences, the symbolic interactionist approach served as a theoretical framework. Feminist principles were also incorporated in order to facilitate the research process in understanding the lived experiences in this descriptive phenomenological inquiry. Purposive sampling techniques were employed; eight participants participated in the study from the Greater Toronto Area through the Coptic centers located in Mississauga and Toronto. It was through semi-structured interviews and open-ended questions that the interpretation of their experiences emerged. Each interview was transcribed verbatim and analyzed according to the descriptive phenomenological approach. Thematic analysis was the level of data analysis that was applied in aiming to capture thematic statements of the meanings regarding the phenomenon on the basis of the descriptive phenomenological approach. NVivo software was used to create thematic emergent themes and thematic coding folders in facilitating the data analysis. The study illuminated valuable insights and provided married immigrant Coptic women the opportunity to express their lived experiences within the culture of their Church; an opportunity they previously might not have had. Findings showed consistent understanding among all the participants in this study who all believed they held the greatest status in, and through, the patriarchal system and structure of their Coptic Church. Findings generated knowledge for social work practice about many of the spiritual and religious aspects of the faith of Coptic women and the influence of their Coptic Church on them.
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Social Work Religion
Citation
Elmenshawy, H. Z. (2015). The Lived Experiences of Married Immigrant Coptic Women in the Context of Their Coptic Orthodox Church (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28236