Blog 2 – Intersectionality, Faith and Inclusion (V2)
In this blog, I will focus on the review, reflections and discussions for the exampled intersectionality and faith relevant resources, under Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality (Crenshaw K., 1989).
The first resource is a TED talk that given by Philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah, which offers a generous, surprising view about religion. He claims that plenty of good things are done in the name of religion, and plenty of bad things too. So, what is religion, exactly — is it good or bad, in and of itself (Appiah, K. A., 2014)?
On one hand, we’re told religion causes charity, compassion, ethics, goodwill, kindness, morality, righteousness, selflessness, unity, etc. Religion holds communities together, is a place of comfort/hope, supplies support, addresses social issues itself, etc. On the other hand, religion is accused of promoting divisions, maintaining power, creating guilt, condoning excesses, fostering intolerance, encouraging violence, oppressing minorities, promoting doctrine and so forth. Many scientists and philosophers have argued that organized religions are sources for both good and bad today and throughout human history (Harvey Whitehouse, 2019). The ways in which religions are a source of good are obvious, in that they promote virtuous behaviour such as charitable giving, and propagate rules that attempt to discourage various bad behaviours.
Kimberlé Crenshaw is overwhelmingly credited with coining the term intersectionality in higher education spaces during the late 1980s and early 1990s (Collins & Bilge, 2016). Kimberlé Crenshaw (1989, 1991) introduced intersectionality as an analytic concept to address the complex latent power relations that shape the lives of women of colour, and Black women in particular. The article written by Jawad, H. (2022) which titled “Islam, Women and Sport: The Case of Visible Muslim Women” echo this theory.
Another evidence about the Visible Muslim Women is the report by the UK’s biggest Muslim women’s sports charity Muslimah Sports Association (MSA, 2022), which found 97% of British Muslim women surveyed would like their current participation in sports to increase, but 37% aren’t taking part in a sport or activity in any capacity. The study aimed to map the demands of all British regions for sport participation of Muslim women, and to investigate why Muslim women are underrepresented in sport and what barriers they face. The report said: “It is important to recognise that Muslim women are not a homogeneous group and come from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. They have different interpretations of their religious beliefs, and it is up to each individual to determine how they balance their religious and cultural values with their desire to participate in sport.” (MSA, 2022).
Back to education, following the Drexel University School of Education’s (n.d.) suggestions, it’s important to eliminate the negative stereotypes which may be associated with gender, religion, ethnicity, and race, etc., in class, which indicates a necessity to make sure all students can have equal access to educational opportunities. In my future teaching relevant activities, I will continuedly to follow and reflect on the above valuable theories and guidelines, aiming to create an equal-access and respectful learning and studying environment for all students.
References:
Appiah, K. A. (2014) Is religion good or bad? (This is a trick question). YouTube [Online]. 16 June. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2et2KO8gcY Accessed 09 July 2025
Collins P. H., Bilge S. (2016). Intersectionality. Wiley.
Crenshaw K. (1989). Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum, 1989(1), 139–167. https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/uclf/vol1989/iss1/8
Drexel University School of Education, (n.d.), How to Promote Inclusion in the Classroom, Available at: https://drexel.edu/soe/resources/student-teaching/advice/Promote-Inclusion-in-the-Classroom/ Accessed 09 July 2025
Harvey Whitehouse (2019), Has religion been good or bad for humanity? New Scientist, Volume 242, Issue 3224, 2019, Pages 36-39, ISSN 0262-4079, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0262-4079(19)30604-9.
Jawad, H. (2022) Islam, Women and Sport: The Case of Visible Muslim Women. [Online]. Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/religionglobalsociety/2022/09/islam-women-and-sport-the-case-of-visible-muslim-women/ Accessed 09 July 2025
Muslimah Sports Association (2022) Muslim Women in Sport Report. https://mcusercontent.com/9ff512b2c4b15839ae339461f/files/0af3dd9e-0529-4e4a-156c-387635725a7f/MSA_Reserach_Report.pdf
Reki, J. (2023) Religious Identity and Epistemic Injustice: An Intersectional Account. Hypatia 38, pp779–800.
Trinity University (2016) Challenging Race, Religion, and Stereotypes in the Classroom. [Online]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CAOKTo_DOk Accessed 09 July 2025