Muslim Educational Migrants, Their Families and Local Communities in South Korea

This study explores the lives of Muslim educational migrants and their families in South Korea, aiming to investigate how migration, gender, religion, and locality intersect with issues of intimacy. Recently, the number of Muslim educational migrants has increased in many Korean universities. For example, at Kyungpook National University, the proportion of Muslim graduate students in the STEM fields has risen. This increase is notable as many Muslim educational migrants, unlike previous groups, often migrate with their families, including young children. The research focuses on the experiences of Muslim educational migrants and their families at Kyungpook National University, examining how they navigate life in Daegu, South Korea. Specifically, it aims to understand the roles of family, gender, and intimacy in the context of migration, particularly by comparing the experiences of Muslim women who have migrated with their families and single Muslim female students. Given the scarcity of research on Muslim migrants in South Korea, especially regarding female educational migrants and issues of family, religion and intimacy, this study is expected to fill a significant research gap.