Research
Diversity & Pluralism
My research is inspired and motivated by an underlying passion for learning about the dynamics of human diversity and exploring the possibilities and paths toward greater pluralism within and across societies. What supports or hinders our social cohesion? How can we better understand and communicate with each other? How can we leverage our differences to work better, live better, and thrive together?
Identity
Who we really are is much more than our country of citizenship, our religion, our politics, our gender, or our hobbies. It is all of this and so much more. In my research, I seek to know more about how we go about constructing our identities, make decisions based upon or in contradiction to these identities, and how our identities influence, and are influenced by others. My most recent work has focused especially on marginalized Muslim experiences related to majoritarian French national identity.
Social Change
Why perform research and teach if not for a higher purpose? For me, that higher purpose is the possibility to affect positive social change, no matter the scale. My research is strongly undergirded by the classic “so what?” question. I am not only interested in moving theory forward, but also in using this theory to seek out practical solutions to contemporary social challenges. How can we combat and attenuate Islamophobia? How can we reduce the effects of “Othering” messaging on social media? How can we re-think education models to be more inclusive and to foster positive identity construction?
Education
Learning is universal, but how and what we learn varies significantly from culture to culture and from context to context. My research seeks to explore the different ways we learn as well as the outcomes, consequences, and interpretations of these different ways of learning. In the past, my research has focused on private religious education in France, especially Muslim schooling, however, new research projects will bring me to questions of equity in the Boston Public School lottery system.