Resources on Islamophobia

Taskforce for Dismantling Islamophobia at Middlebury

This began as a project of the Scott Center’s Muslim Chaplaincy & grew in partnership with the Islamophobia Working Group & Islamophobia Equity Narratives Project instituted in Fall of 2024 under President Laurie Patton. It continues to be updated to respond to current needs. 

In the Fall of 2024, the Coalition for Dismantling Islamophobia at Middlebury came together to create opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to learn more about anti-MAP (Muslim, Arab, Palestinian) discrimination and bias, as well as the impact on many communities who might not directly belong to these categories but remain deeply affected by the ongoing national and international crises.

The Coalition now serves as a consultative body that convenes as needed to consider questions of campus climate for Muslim, Arab, Palestinian and other impacted students, staff and faculty and plays a consultative role. The community bias response team continues to take action on biases affecting such communities, and the Equity Narrative Project on Islamophobia/Anti-MAP discrimination was commissioned in the Fall 2024 by President Patton, is collecting narrative data on how concerned and impacted community members on campuses have experienced the campus beginning in Fall 2023. This project also includes a stream of historical research using oral histories and the Middlebury archives to understand the history of MAP and Palestine-concerned communities at Middlebury.

The Coalition/Working Group serves an educational, administrative and advisory role to the Middlebury College community on matters related to Islamophobia and its multifaceted dimensions. This statement on Islamophobia underlies and defines the work of the Coalition/Working Group.  As of Fall 2024, membership consists of the following staff and faculty:

Khuram Hussain, Vice President Equity and Inclusion
Zahra Moeini Meybodi, Associate Muslim Chaplain 
Mark Orten, Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life
Dima Ayoub, Faculty, Associate Professor of Arabic 
Kristin Hocker, Assistant Vice President of Education for Equity and Inclusion
Tara Affolter, Faculty, Associate Professor of Education Studies

Definitions and Dimensions of Islamophobia

Islamophobia can be most comprehensively defined as fear, prejudice or discrimination against someone due to their Muslim identity. It is often a multifaceted phenomenon that occurs on a number of overlapping dimensions that include but are not limited to religion, gender, race/ethnicity, and political identity. American Muslims are often in turn at risk of double or triple layers of simultaneous discrimination. The multi-dimensionality of this definition is critical to note because Islamophobia is often  reproduced by a network of historic as well as private, interpersonal and institutional structures that affect the American Muslim communities at once.

Discriminatory actions and policies can extend beyond the physical and digital domains, expressing themselves and sanctioned by educational, economic, and political structures. It is incumbent upon institutions of higher education to uphold their responsibility in ensuring the safety and security of all students. We implore all students, campus staff, and administrators to actively combat Islamophobia in all its dimensions on college campuses and within online communities across the United States.

Islamophobia in Modern Contexts:

It is critical to name the various manifestations of Islamophobia in modern contexts. Islamophobia is inseparable from demonization of Islamic beliefs, as well as histories of colonization of the Muslim majority societies, enslavement of Black Muslims in the Americas/anti-Black racism, foreign policies visible most recently in anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism and its dehumanizing and deteriorating effects on American Muslim’s mental health.

Muslim Community at Midd

A key component of dismantling Islamophobia is to continue to create a warm, dynamic, and creative Muslim life at Middlebury College, open and welcoming to all Muslim and non-Muslim members of the campus community. The College provides many resources for engaging with Islam, from staff to student organizations to academic and co-curricular programs.

• Scott Center for Spiritual and Religious Life

• Middlebury College Muslim Student Association

• Arabic House

• AFC Freeman Center

• WANAS (West Asian North African Students)

• Students for Justice in Palestine

• Religious Needs for Housing at Middlebury

Muslim Life Website/Newsletter: We are in the process of launching a bi-annual newsletter that will capture Muslim Life at Middlebury College. Stay tuned!

Academic Opportunities: Middlebury offers a major in Arabic Language, offer courses in Islamic Studies (Religious Studies). The classes offered are a wonderful way to learn more about Islam and the Muslim world, and related topics.

MOSAIC Interfaith House: The MOSAIC Interfaith House is a residential space for students who are interested in deepening their knowledge and experience of various religions, spiritualities, and secular traditions.