Farida Jalalzai, associate professor of political science at UMSL, discussed Bosnian Muslims in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch article “Making St. Louis home: The Bosnian resettlement, 20 years later.” (Photo by August Jennewein)

For more than 20 years, St. Louis has become home to thousands of Bosnian refugees. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch took a comprehensive look Sunday at how the Bosnian community in greater St. Louis has grown and changed over the years. The article “Making St. Louis home: The Bosnian resettlement, 20 years later,” written by reporter Doug Moore, included insight from University of Missouri–St. Louis political scientist Farida Jalalzai on Bosnian Muslims.

Jalalzai, associate professor of political science, has spent time interviewing various St. Louis-area Bosnian, African-American, South Asian and Middle Eastern Muslims to research political and voting trends within the groups. She pointed out to the Post-Dispatch that, compared to South Asian and Middle Eastern Muslims, Bosnian Muslims are sometimes considered more secular and likely to blend their tradition with Western culture.

“All the different influences, exposure to non-Muslims, ultimately there is a loosening of connections over time,” Jalalzai told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The article also featured brothers and UMSL alumni Nick and Irfan Sinanovic, BS mathematics 2006 and BS electrical engineering 2008 respectively, who immigrated to St. Louis in 1999. The Sinanovic brothers are now successful owners of Vega Transport.

Visit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website to read the full article.