Out of the resources we were presented with, I found the article on Islam, Women and Sport (Jawad, 2022) particularly interesting in terms of intersectionality as it presented a range of issues and challenges faced by muslim women. Representation of different religions in sporting activities is highlighted as being an important way to encourage more diverse representation in sport. The same could also be said of an educational environment and similarly to this article, certain adjustments may be required.
The author talks about how polarisation is often based on a lack of knowledge and understanding which is a useful reminder of the importance of taking the time to understand and consider the views and challenges of others. I noticed the use of the term ‘visible muslims’ meaning those who choose to dress modestly often wearing a hijab – this wasn’t terminology I had come across before and serves to highlight that within the ‘female, muslim’ grouping, there will be a wide variety of experiences and challenges at play.
Both of the video resources (Appiah, 2014 and Trinity University, 2016) discuss the need to break down stereotypes and steer away from assumptions about certain groups based on religious belief. Appiah (2014) discusses the topic of what ‘religion’ actually is as a characteristic and whether beliefs should be grouped under the title of ‘religion’ at all which is more of a philosophical pondering than a practical one. Rekis (2003) discusses the negative effects which can occur when assumptions are made about a religious person’s beliefs and practices based on their gender and dress, in this case discussing veiled muslim women.
In my own context at UAL, as someone who has been teaching largely online for 2 years on the MA Arts and Cultural Enterprise course at CSM with students in both the UK and Hong Kong, I haven’t yet encountered any instances where faith has directly had an impact in the classroom. I haven’t been made aware of any faith based considerations from students and it isn’t something that has featured or been relevant in any of the teaching materials that I use. As the teaching is largely delivered on online and sessions are recorded, it is very flexible and suits those who may have other commitments. For example, if religious obligations were a consideration in attending class, the student has the option to watch the recording at a later date.
Having digested the materials presented, I am now more attuned to the potential impacts that faith, particularly when intersecting with other identities, may have on a student’s experience. As a teacher it is important to make all students feel comfortable and welcome in the classroom regardless of their background or beliefs. For example, my course runs over December with a break for Christmas. I am conscious of the wording I use around this Christmas break – taking care not to centre language on the Christian experience. Chinese New Year is often celebrated by my students and as a major holiday in Hong Kong, it is important to acknowledge during online classes.
As part of my student’s final submission, they can choose to work on a culture or enterprise project or dissertation of their choosing based on a topic of importance to them. I could foresee a situation where a student could select a project linked to their faith and this would provide a useful opportunity for discussion and visibility of issues linked to faith in the classroom.
Jawad, H. (2022) ‘Islam, Women and Sport: The Case of Visible Muslim Women’, Religion and Global Society, 22 September. Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/religionglobalsociety/2022/09/islam-women-and-sport-the-case-of-visible-muslim-women/
Kwame Anthony Appiah: Is religion good or bad? (This is a trick question) (2014). Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2et2KO8gcY
Rekis, J. (2023) ‘Religious Identity and Epistemic Injustice: An Intersectional Account’, Hypatia, 38(4), pp. 779–800. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/hyp.2023.86.
I also found the term ‘visible muslims’ to be an educational one and it shows level of nuance which much be accommodated in our teaching practices. However it seems like you are already providing a very flexible teaching environment for students, perhaps a new understanding of student’s faith within that context will help provide some further positive changes to engage with student’s needs.
Thanks Joe – yes, this unit has definitely been useful in terms of thinking about and recognising nuance.
Hello 🙂 It’s interesting that faith hasn’t had a direct impact in your classroom so far. I’ve found that faith is rarely discussed in student projects, whereas other aspects of students’ identities are often explored within their work. Their background, sexuality, other aspects of their culture, seem to feature more, and I wonder if there is some fear or trepidation around students sharing this part of their identity. This makes me think of the stat that Joe mentioned in his post – 12% of UAL students prefer not to say what their religious beliefs are, I wonder why that is.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment Noor. I wonder if it may be because UAL is a non-secular University. I expect students may feel more inclined to discuss their faith in an environment where faith is centered. Having said that, there may also be a variety of other reasons at play also.