I am a sociologist working at Long Island University--Brooklyn since 2003.  My research interests are broadly focused on issues surrounding migration and immigrant assimilation, and ethnicity and religion.  I have conducted ethnographic research among Muslims in Hyderabad, India, South Asians in the US, and migrants in Dubai.  I received two Fulbrights to do these projects -- one in 1997 to go to Hyderabad, and one in 2006 for Dubai.

My current project looks at Muslims growing up in the US and Europe. The first phase of this project is a paper I co-wrote with Tineke Fokkema called “The importance of peers: assimilation patterns among second-generation Turkish immigrants in Western Europe.”

I also have a lengthy review in the fall 2010 issue of the sociology magazine, Contexts, of Christopher Caldwell’s book, Reflections on the Revolution in Europe: Immigration, Islam and the West. The book is a clarion call to be afraid, be very afraid of the Moslems that are breeding like rabbits to take over Europe, and soon, to take over America. The book sucks, but reviewers love it because he’s a journalist who writes clearly and cites some surveys and statistics and he’s not a complete loon so they think he must be a serious and fair observer and commentator. I beg to differ. Caldwell makes the point these people have not, and actually cannot assimilate. My next book will take him and his ilk to task.

Out of these research projects, I have published several academic journal articles, recently one on migrants in Dubai called “Permanent Impermanence” in the Spring 2010 issue of Contexts.  It is by far the best sociology publication in the US as everything in there is topnotch, but more importantly, actually readable.  They market themselves as a place for nonsociologists to learn about sociology in an approachable way.  This means well-written short pieces with no jargon and no long, deathly boring and too often pointless literature reviews citing everyone under the sun.  Just interesting, straightforwardly written sociological stories that are in no way dumbed down but are still highly rigorous and of the highest quality.  I think all academics should write in that manner.  Unfortunately most probably can’t, as they have no skill in writing; they report and analyze data rather than engage in storytelling. 

Oh, and my book, Dubai: Gilded Cage, came out in Spring 2010 with Yale University Press.  I highly recommend it.  Don’t be put off by the fact that it’s coming out of a university press.  My editor made readability combined with analytical rigor a prerequisite.  She wasn’t going to publish it otherwise.  So you can read it, enjoy it, and learn stuff in the process.  A win-win situation. And it makes for the perfect holiday gift.

If the urge strikes, you can reach me at syed.f.ali@gmail.com.