Race Archives - Sahar Aziz

How a Leading Definition of Antisemitism Has Been Weaponized Against Israel’s Critics [The Nation]

The chorus of criticism of Israel’s indiscriminate bombings and denial of food, water, and other humanitarian aid to 2 million Palestinians trapped in Gaza has only grown louder as the Palestinian death toll has skyrocketed beyond an estimated 22,000, nearly half of whom are children. Too often, however, supporters of continued military action by Israel respond not by debating the merits of a cease-fire but through McCarthyistic campaigns to silence human rights advocacy in public and on college campuses. Among the most effective strategies of censorship is a politically… Continue reading

Keynote on Race and Religion at the Intersection [Drexel Law]

Professor Sahar Aziz delivered the Center for Law, Policy and Social Action (CLPSA) keynote at Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law. Professor Aziz examined the intersectional relationship between race and religion, namely as it pertains to Muslim identity and experiences of racialized religious discrimination and infringement upon religious freedom in the United States. Her highly acclaimed book featured in Time Magazine, The Racial Muslim: When Racism Quashes Religious Freedom, informed the public lecture on October 23, 2023.… Continue reading

She was Fired for Being Publicly Pro-Palestinian [Philadelphia Inquirer]

“This particular case is going to the heart of the American fundamental right to politically dissent, to express your beliefs,” said Sahar Aziz, a Rutgers Law professor and author of The Racial Muslim: When Racism Quashes Religious Freedom. “And when you belong to a group that’s not afforded those beliefs at equal levels as everyone else, that’s evidence of discrimination against that group — but also a threat to those American values.” Flip the situation to a member of any other marginalized group speaking in support of human rights… Continue reading

The Curious Case of the Racial Muslim [EU Scream]

Legal scholar Sahar Aziz says people who identify as Muslim are often perceived in racial terms, like Black and Brown people, in White-dominated societies. That makes Muslims on both sides of the Atlantic the subject of similar forms of racism. She also says protecting observant Muslims in Europe may be more difficult than in the United States, where religious observance is more commonplace. In this episode: Sahar Aziz in conversation with the journalist and think tanker Shada Islam. Listen to the podcast here. Purchase your copy of the… Continue reading

Racing Religion [NYU Center for Race, Inequality and the Law]

In her lecture Racing Religion, hosted by the NYU Center for Race, Inequality and the Law, Sahar Aziz explains how the racialization of Muslims, Jews, and Catholics are animated by similar political and social factors. Understanding the past is critical for eliminating inter-generational, systemic racism against religious minorities. To watch the lecture, click here.… Continue reading

Where Migrants Suffered Matters at the U.S.-Mexico Border [TIME]

On March 11, as the number of Ukrainians arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border began to tick up, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a special memo advising border officials that they could, on a case-by-case basis, offer that particular group special treatment. Unlike tens of thousands of other migrants, fleeing violence in other countries, border guards could exempt Ukrainians from the public health order, Title 42. The exemption, which was first reported by CBS News, was cheered by immigrant advocates and lawmakers. But many also pointed… Continue reading

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson and America’s Moment of Racial Reckoning [Al Jazeera]

Today, the United States is experiencing a new moment of racial reckoning. A rapidly diversifying population is demanding systemic equity and meaningful access to constitutional freedoms. This transformation for the better is neither complete nor progressing without resistance. In an historic first, an African American woman, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, has been nominated to the Supreme Court. Her nomination to the highest judicial body of the nation is rightfully seen as a product of the United States’ current moment of racial reckoning. Despite being well-qualified for the position, she has baselessly been… Continue reading

Princeton School of Public and International Affairs features The Racial Muslim [Endnotes]

Freedom of religion is a constitutionally protected right in the religion clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. By definition, this should reflect America’s diversity and cover all people equally — whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim, agnostic, or atheist. In practice, however, Americans sometimes support policies that seemingly violate the civil rights of Muslims. Although the U.S. Census identifies Muslim immigrants of the Middle East and North Africa as white, they face discrimination and prejudices of being terrorists, suspicious, and violent. This paradox is the heart of “The … Continue reading

Achieving Excellence Speaker Series Features Sahar Aziz [Pittsburgh Law]

The University of Pittsburgh School of Law will feature professor/author Sahar Aziz in a forum, moderated by Professor SpearIt, which ties the themes from her book, The Racial Muslim: When Racism Quashes Religious Freedom, to the concerns and experiences of Muslims living in the City of Pittsburgh. Then Professor Aziz will present the keynote lecture about her book, in which she explores this paradox: how could a religious minority be so overtly discriminated against in a country that privileges religious freedom legally and normatively. — To learn more about the… Continue reading

The Sania Farooqui Show

Sahar Aziz discusses her new book The Racial Muslim: When Racism Quashes Religious Freedom with Sania Farooqui. Professor Aziz explains the historical and political underpinnings of anti-Muslim racism that has become mainstreamed over the past twenty years. — Watch the interview at this link… Continue reading

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Tag: Race