Nermin Vehabovic, along with collaborators from research-intensive universities in Canada and the United States, serve as guest editors for a special issue of 'Multicultural Perspectives' and contribute innovative, peer-reviewed research exploring refugee-background communities’ ways of knowing, doing, being and becoming.
Nermin Vehabovic, assistant professor of education at Elon University, together with Amir Michalovich, assistant professor of literacies education at University of Manitoba, Aijuan Cun, assistant professor of literacy and language arts at the University of New Mexico and Xia Chao, associate professor of language and literacy education at Duquesne University, edited a special issue of the journal “Multicultural Perspectives.”
This special issue brings together nine empirical studies that spotlight the voices, experiences, and strengths of refugee-background communities across Canada and the U.S., with a focus on culture, identity, language, literacy, and religion in family, school and community contexts. The guest editors aim to challenge deficit-oriented perceptions and stereotypes tied to the “refugee” label, and to advance research that builds more inclusive and equitable educational environments. The editorial can be viewed online.
“Multicultural Perspectives” (MCP) is a leading journal dedicated to advancing social justice, equity, and inclusion in education. Published quarterly by the National Association for Multicultural Education, MCP showcases work that celebrates cultural and ethnic diversity as a national strength, enriching the fabric of society. Its primary readers include K-12 educators, teacher educators, social scientists, governmental social service professionals and others invested in multicultural education. Submissions to MCP undergo a rigorous peer-review process, ensuring high standards and a diverse array of voices in every issue.
Nermin’s own article in the issue, titled, “Homes as Transnational and Translingual Sites: Teacher Candidates Traversing Borders, Languages, and Cultures with Families from Refugee Backgrounds Through Shared Reading Sessions,” explores how shared reading between teacher candidates and newcomer families fosters reciprocal learning, caring relationships and the honoring of cultural and linguistic identities. Through community-based learning, teacher candidates not only witnessed but also participated in multimodal and translingual literacy practices.
Across cases, these shared experiences illuminate recurring themes of connection, empathy, and affirmation, with teacher candidates and families building trust and community through both reading sessions and gatherings, such as sharing meals or cheering at soccer games. These practices, grounded in the notion of critical love, underscore the transformative power of showing up, listening, and celebrating the humanity of others. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that homes can function as vibrant sites of transnational and translingual exchange, where deficit narratives are replaced by strengths-based perspectives that honor ways of knowing, doing, being, and becoming. The findings highlight the importance of embedding community-based learning in teacher preparation, equipping educators to create classrooms that are inclusive, responsive, and justice-oriented, and reminding teacher educators of the deep value of learning with and from families whose experiences traverse borders, languages, and cultures.
To cite this article:
Vehabovic, N. (2025). Homes as Transnational and Translingual Sites: Teacher Candidates Traversing Borders, Languages, and Cultures with Families from Refugee Backgrounds Through Shared Reading Sessions. Multicultural Perspectives, 27(3), 186–194. https://doi.org/10.1080/15210960.2025.2575743
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/15210960.2025.2575743
“I’m really grateful to be part of a guest editorial team that supports each other both professionally and personally,” Vehabovic said. “I am also grateful for the mentorship and guidance of Dr. Roxas, dean of Woodring College of Education at Western Washington University and editor of ‘Multicultural Perspectives.’ His scholarship on teacher education and the experiences of immigrant and refugee communities has profoundly influenced the field. Under his leadership, many scholars, including members of our guest editorial team, have received valuable support and encouragement.”