Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact
Email hussain.raissi@otago.ac.nz
Tel +64 4 832 3021
Background
Dr Raissi's current research project, Cultural bridges: The role of social capital in fostering belonging among Muslim immigrants and refugees in Aotearoa, builds on his doctoral study, which explored the senses of belonging, perceptions of discrimination, and religiosity among Muslim youth immigrants and refugees in New Zealand. His postdoctoral work deepens this inquiry by examining how bonding, bridging, and linking forms of social capital shape belonging and inclusion, with a strong emphasis on biculturalism, multiculturalism, and the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Dr Raissi has previously worked across policy advocacy, social work, and cultural mediation in France and Afghanistan.
With a strong intercultural background, he brings a cross-cultural and community-oriented perspective to his research and community engagement.
Publications
Raissi, H., & Kappmeier, M. (2026). Sense of belonging among Muslim youth in New Zealand: Navigating discrimination through reactive religiosity and dissimulation. Australian Journal of Islamic Studies, 11(1), e106. doi: 10.55831/ajis.v11i1.1387 Journal - Research Article
Afzali, M. U., Badis, J. S., Khoso, P., Aqsa, G. E., Ahmed, M. S., Ali, A., … Nasrat Hamid, N., … Raissi, H., Shawkat, F., … Tanveer, S., … Rasheed, A. A. (2025). Muslim Diversity Study: Quantitative protocol and practical insights on engaging New Zealand’s Muslim communities. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 54(3), 90-104. Journal - Research Article
Raissi, H., & Kappmeier, M. (2025). Belonging amidst bias: The impact of perceived discrimination on Muslim youth in Aotearoa/New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Psychology, 54(1), 71-83. doi: 10.63146/001c.132291 Journal - Research Article
Raissi, H., & Kappmeier, M. (2025). Implications of religious salience and religious practices on the senses of belonging to the larger Aotearoa/New Zealand society and the Muslim community. Kōtuitui. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/1177083X.2025.2469622 Journal - Research Article
Raissi, H. (2024). Exploring senses of belonging: A multidimensional study of Muslim immigrant youth in New Zealand (PhD). University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10523/43377 Awarded Doctoral Degree