Are you sitting uncomfortably? Researching ‘Islamophilia’ and queerness as a queer Islamophile

Islamophobia is firmly established both as a vernacular concept and object of academic enquiry. Much less familiar is the converse concept of Islamophilia (‘love of Islam’) which outside academia, is typically used in a pejorative sense. The political Left routinely attracts criticism for its supposed ‘blind spot’ towards Islam/Muslims, particularly when it comes to questions of gender and sexuality.

Jonathan will present Islamophilia as an alluring but imprecise construct and share results from his ongoing research, with reflections on how his sexuality and own participation in Islamophilia has influenced his findings.

He will argue that Islamophilia is a useful umbrella concept that can help us navigate uncomfortable conversations about race, gender, class, queerness, migration and antisemitism.  

This in-person event will be particularly useful for those interested in leftwing politics, Islam, British Muslims, queerness, and the sociology of religion.

Related links

• Thomas Coram Research Unit (TCRU)
• TCRU seminar series
• Social Research Institute