B.C. Dodge & R. Mordant Mahon talk to Dalia Mogahed in this episode of “What a Relief!” — IRUSA’s official podcast.
B.C. & Mordant welcome back a favorite guest, Dalia Mogahed, to the podcast this week. Dalia directs research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU), the only think tank in the United States focused entirely on the Muslim community.
She joins the podcast this week to talk about her exciting work there. In this episode, she delves into the developmental challenges of the community and the social forces and public policy issues that impact the community.
At ISPU, they look at things like legislation that impacts the community. Perhaps one of the most beneficial contributions they offer is a forum for healthy debate—something that has been sorely lacking in the Muslim community. She says they aim to “give space for respectful debate.”
“The skill of critical thinking and looking at both sides of the issue has been rare in recent discourse,” she says.
Tune in to learn about important projects she is working on, such as Muslims for American Progress, and an upcoming empirical study of hate crimes and terrorism, including a look at the use and misuse of such terms.
Despite so many examples of enormous contributions, what are the things that hold us back as a community?
“We’ve spent 15 years telling people what we are against,” she says, “and we haven’t had the time or the air space to show them what we’re for and what we contribute.”
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