Juliane Hammer, assistant professor of religious studies, and Rachel Hinson, senior and religious studies major, presented a paper titled “Taking Back Islam: American Muslim Intellectuals and American Public Opinion” at the annual meeting of the Western Commission for the Study of Religion (WECSOR) on March 13 in Claremont, Calif.
The paper is based on their joined research on the responses of American Muslim intellectuals to stereotypes and misrepresentations of Islam and Muslims in American media. It argues that the writings of public intellectuals actively engage with public opinion and attempt to change what they perceive as misrepresentations and stereotypes of Muslims and Islam.
Hinson’s participation in the conference is supported by a travel grant from the Undergraduate Research Program.