I would support that hypothesis, sure. I would say it might very well also have to do with the urban/suburban differences (not sure how to put that, exactly); while Muslim immigrants in Europe often reside in urban areas or along the periphery of them (and often in groupings), they're far more spread out here.

I agree. I like your parallel with Mexican immigration, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment on it further.

Another big factor differentiating immigration in the U.S. versus Europe, in general (i.e. not just for Muslims) is that Europe welcomes a lot more refugees than the United States do. I don't have the numbers at hand, but considering that it has invaded the country and created new conditions for exile, the United States welcome a pitiful number of refugees from Iraq. So on one hand you have a lot of people who often have fled traumatic conditions and are plonked in Europe, left to rebuild their emotional and social lives, most often having had to leave their ancestral home in a hurry.

On the other hand, Canada and the United States welcome people who have made the explicit choice of leaving their country of birth; there is still going to be a massive cultural shock to deal with, but these people are a lot more prepared for it.

(I read that half of the PhD students in the United States were born in a different country... They're not all immigrants, but it's quite interesting to see.)

Canada probably welcomes more refugees than the United States, proportionally, but you can still discern this pattern in the larger refugee population groups, for example Tamils and Somalis in Toronto.

Jillian: Is the word you're looking for "ghettoïzed"?

I agree. I like your parallel with Mexican immigration, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment on it further.

Another big factor differentiating immigration in the U.S. versus Europe, in general (i.e. not just for Muslims) is that Europe welcomes a lot more refugees than the United States do. I don't have the numbers at hand, but considering that it has invaded the country and created new conditions for exile, the United States welcome a pitiful number of refugees from Iraq. So on one hand you have a lot of people who often have fled traumatic conditions and are plonked in Europe, left to rebuild their emotional and social lives, most often having had to leave their ancestral home in a hurry.

On the other hand, Canada and the United States welcome people who have made the explicit choice of leaving their country of birth; there is still going to be a massive cultural shock to deal with, but these people are a lot more prepared for it.

(I read that half of the PhD students in the United States were born in a different country... They're not all immigrants, but it's quite interesting to see.)

Canada probably welcomes more refugees than the United States, proportionally, but you can still discern this pattern in the larger refugee population groups, for example Tamils and Somalis in Toronto.

Jillian: Is the word you're looking for "ghettoïzed"?

FRandroid, etc. on Iraqi refugees resettled in the U.S. and how they have fared. Sadly, there isn't much info there on the professional skills, education, etc. of those resettled. But I gotta say, having worked in refugee resettlement of a different group of highly educated refugees during a recession (Soviets, 1990 - 91), it ain't easy even given optimal resources.

One particularly boneheaded example: we got a call from the local school district that they needed a Russian-speaking math teacher, and did we have anyone? Well, we had tons of math teacher clients, but were unable to oblige. Why? Well, can anyone explain to me why a high school math teacher would need to be a green card holder in order to do the job? Last I checked, high school math isn't exactly a matter of national security.

I would support Hogan's hypothesis. A few random thoughts:

The "melting-pot" argument makes sense if you compare American and Canadian and European communities in terms of immigration policy where Muslim countries are concerned and historical factors. The fact is, though, that American European immigration policies differ very substantially and a discussion of why American Muslims "perform" differently than European ones is entirely incomplete without that. American immigration policy toward mostly Muslim countries is designed to recruit brains almost entirely (nowadays there are more refugees, though).

But you also have to consider that a very large part of the American Muslim population is African Americans who cannot be called "immigrants" (and black African immigrants are a tiny part of the Muslim population here). Attitudinal surveys show that black Muslims feel less integrated and the most pessimistic and less "consciously" integrated part of the American Muslim population.

I think the comparison is less helpful than it appears if one considers class, immigration policy, social attitudes, ethnicity (among Muslims), legal protections/policies regarding discrimination, etc. in European countries and the US. Muslims in the US also come from different countries than European ones do. Journalists tend to make the argument to prove political points about domestic terrorism or associated things and the comparison then loses its value because it leads to journos overlooking important problems within the Muslim community and the way non-Muslims look at and treat Muslims.

Having dealt with the issue (as an American Muslim) as a student and through government exchanges, I think the comparison very easily and quickly becomes unhelpful to productive analysis or thinking about either community.

Thanks for above commentary. My hypothesis is based on things I have repeatedly encountered anecdotally (contrary to cliche, the plural of anecdote IS evidence, just not conclusive).

The issue of comparing European to North American and specifically USA Muslim integration is to a fair extent just an exercise in self-congratulation often here in USA. But where it is useful is in breaking down analytically the processes that hinder or enhance social harmony.

And given how things have developed since 9/11, the full story may not be over.

i'm not understanding why we need to take into consideration the native born, african-american muslim population. what do they have to do with any of this? the discussion is of immigrants. not muslims in general in north america, but muslim immigrants in north america. i would also not say that "a very large part of the American Muslim population is African Americans" because that's simply not true. according to the pew study linked below, only 20% of u.s. muslims overall are african-american, and african-americans constitute just over half of native-born muslims in the u.s. maybe i'm all wrong in this, but it had always been my impression that the movement of native-born african-americans embracing islam has been one particularly borne out of disenfranchisement with greater american society.

this survey, though dated a few years, still has some interesting data.
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/483/muslim-americans

some excerpts-Muslim Americans reject Islamic extremism by larger margins than do Muslim minorities in Western European countries. However, there is somewhat more acceptance of Islamic extremism in some segments of the U.S. Muslim public than others. Fewer native-born African American Muslims than others completely condemn al Qaeda.

The life situations and attitudes of
Muslim Americans stand in contrast with those
of Muslim minorities of Western Europe. Pew
Global Attitudes surveys conducted in 2006 in
Great Britain, France, Germany and Spain
found Muslims in these countries greatly
concerned about unemployment. Unlike
Muslims in the U.S., the average annual
incomes of Muslims in these countries lag well
behind the average incomes of non-Muslims.

About half of Muslim Americans have attended college, which is somewhat lower than
college attendance among the general public. However, Muslims’ annual incomes – and
perceptions of personal finances – are fairly comparable with those of the public. Notably, more
Muslim immigrants than native-born Muslims see themselves as well-off financially.

Another report that may be of interest, though some of it overlaps with the Pew report

Anecdotal account of uncertain significance vis a vis sebkha on African-American Muslims. (By the way, do those looking at African-American Muslim opinion differentiate between the Nation of Islammers and more conventional Muslims?)

I recall, pre9/11 a conference of some kind of C-SPAN or some broadcast. It was a Muslim conference on participation in American life. A smiling Pakistani immigrant wealthy doctor or such MC's the event, discussing how mainstream Muslims were becomng in the USA and then a questioner at a microphone came up.

An African-American Muslim, he began scolding that America was evil, or at least traditionally so. The doctor, smiled politely and gently deflected, with increasing strain on his whole face as if saying: "SHUT UP! We've spent this whole conference trying to show how much a part of America we are and appreciate it and are happy to be here. Now be quiet!"

I suspect the doctor may have an uncomprehending of the views and outlook of people in the questioner's background as the average white guy in the USA. Of course, I am assuming or imputing his thoughts, but his discomfort and polite but summary disagreement with the questioner was overt.

Poignant anecdote. And completely in line with attitudes/comprehension of the African-American situation and history in the United States as understood by a lot of well-to-do, professional Muslims I know and work with in the U.S. (Most of which are of Arab, Iranian, or Pakistani origin) At least in my experience, most don't have much of a clue, and of the ones that do, they don't really see it concerning them too much.

From the survey, re. differentiation between NOI, etc. and traditional Islam, I couldn't get much.
It does say this-

Islamic Affiliation
Muslims in the United States belong to diverse religious traditions within Islam. Half
identify with Sunni Islam, the largest Muslim tradition worldwide. The second largest segment
of the Muslim American population – about one-fifth of the total (22%) – volunteers they are just
Muslim, without any particular affiliation. An additional 16% identify with Shia Islam, which is
the second largest Muslim tradition
worldwide. Only 5% of U.S. Muslims
identify with another Muslim tradition, and
7% did not offer a response.

Which helps us a little, but not enough, in my opinion. But in defense of the survey, sorting through all that is really, really complicated. There have been various shifts in the belief systems by the likes of Louis Farrakhan, W.D. Fard's son Warith Dean, etc. and some of them are more in line with mainstream Sunni Islam, but then some of their beliefs are still way out of the mainstream, esp. re. race. If anyone had suggestions for how to sort through all that for this survey's sake, I'd love to hear it.