Eager, ambitious, and determined to ‘rise’ and ‘give back’: young Arab-Australian women’s higher education aspirations

Research on ethnic minority young people in Western migrant contexts has demonstrated how their families and social status shape higher education aspirations. Little is known, however, about Arab women from immigrant families in this regard. Drawing on interviews with young Arab-Australian women, this paper examines their higher education perceptions, aspirations, and goals. Findings showed these women to be strongly influenced by their immigrant parents to pursue higher education that would earn their families societal respect and recognition. Furthermore, these women were determined to pursue higher education that would enable them to ‘rise’ by uplifting their social status as Arab minorities, and ‘give back’ by contributing positively to their communities and wider society. Notions of cultural and ethnic capital are utilised to highlight the relationship between higher education attainment and ethnic minority status, reflecting the high value placed on higher education by these young Arab-Australian women and their families.