Research
Making an Impact

ISPU provides objective research and education about American Muslims to support well- informed dialogue and decision-making.

American Muslim Poll 2025

Our Research

Our work makes impact in the following areas:

Developing Community

Researching family and wellness and building community capacity

Building Understanding

Protecting American pluralism and quantifying Muslim contributions

Providing Thought Leadership

Offering platforms for discussion and informing national conversations

How We Create Impact

Discover
We conduct rigorous, objective research on issues impacting American Muslims using a variety of methods.
Educate

We translate research into accessible resources, toolkits, and educational materials for diverse audiences.

Equip

Our strategy of equipping leaders multiplies our impact as the data lives on in the work of those who catalyze change.

ISPU in the News

From national outlets to local reporting, journalists rely on ISPU research and experts to inform stories about Muslim communities in the United States. Explore recent media coverage featuring our research and expert analysis:

The New York Times: Mamdani Ushers in a New Tradition: Ramadan in

Aljazeera: Trump’s JPMorgan Chase lawsuit revives debanking concerns in US United States

Our Impact

I remember the first time I learned ISPU’s facts and data about American Muslims and anti-Muslim discrimination, and the impact it had on my own understanding of the ways that anti-Muslim bigotry shows up in our country. It completely shifted my paradigm of what it means to love my Muslim neighbors from one of charity to mutual solidarity. It helped me to see the role that I have to play from where I’m situated, understanding that my own sense of freedom and dignity is tied to that of my Muslim neighbors.

- Becca Tyvoll, Partnerships and Program Coordinator, Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign
A man wearing a graduation cap and gown smiles at the camera while sitting outdoors. Another person in a cap and gown is visible beside him. Trees and sunlight can be seen in the background.

Challenges We Address

Misinformation & Bias

Addressing misconceptions and providing factual data about American Muslim communities.

Policy Gaps
Identifying areas where evidence-based policy recommendations are needed.
Community Needs

Understanding and articulating the diverse needs of American Muslim families.

Upcoming Events

Choose To Power Research

ISPU provides objective research and education about American Muslims to support well-informed dialogue and decision-making. This work is made possible in part through the support of generous individuals.

Featured Toolkit​

COUNTERING AND DISMANTLING ISLAMOPHOBIA
A Comprehensive Guide for Individuals and Organizations.

Institute for Social Policy and Understanding

RESEARCH MAKING AN IMPACT

ISPU Scholars

Expert

Sahar F. Aziz is a Professor of Law and Chancellor’s Social Justice Scholar at Rutgers Law School. Previously she was a Professor of Law at Texas A&M University

Expert

Dr. Sahar Khamis is an associate professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland, College Park. She is an expert on Arab and Muslim media,

Expert

Dr. Hassan Abbas is Distinguished Professor of International Relations at the Near East South Asia Strategic Studies Centre (NESA), National Defense University in Washington DC. He serves as

Moustafa Bayoumi is the author of the critically acclaimed How Does It Feel To Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America (Penguin), which won an American

Expert

Amal Killawi is a clinical social worker, researcher, and community educator. She serves as a research fellow with the Family & Youth Institute and scholar with the Institute

Nazita Lajevardi is a political scientist and attorney working primarily in race, ethnic politics, and American politics. Dr. Lajevardi’s research lies at the intersection of religion, race, ethnic

Louise Cainkar is a sociologist and Associate Professor of Social Welfare and Justice at Marquette University in Milwaukee. She currently serves as president of the Arab American Studies

Dr. Muhammad Khalifa is a Professor of Educational Administration and Executive Director of Urban Education at Ohio State University. He is an internationally renowned educational leadership scholar, and

Dr. Julie Macfarlane is Distinguished Professor and Professor of Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Windsor. She has received a number of professional honours

Dr. Ghaffar-Siddiqui is a globally recognized multiple award-winning public-speaker, media pundit, researcher, and a passionate social justice advocate. As well as being a professor of sociology, criminology, and

Expert

Faiqa Mahmood is a researcher at the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU), whose efforts have been instrumental on the Reimagining Muslim Spaces (RMS) study. Ms. Mahmood

Expert

Dr. Ayaz Hyder is an Associate Professor in the College of Public Health and Core Faculty in the Translational Data Analytics Institute at The Ohio State University. Dr.

Expert

Todd Green is the Executive Director of America Indivisible, a coalition effort to address rising bigotry against members of Muslim communities. Previously, he served as a professor of

Elisabeth Becker is a doctoral candidate in Sociology at Yale University, where she is a junior fellow in cultural sociology and religion and politics. Elisabeth graduated wth a

Engy Abdelkader is an award-winning attorney and scholar who has worked with Muslims, Arabs and South Asians since 9/11 to address Islamophobia. Her research and writing explores religious

Expert

Asma T. Uddin is a fellow with the Initiative on Security and Religious Freedom at the UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations. She is also a Berkley Center

What Can You Do?

ISPU is a nonprofit organization that relies on the generosity of individual donors to keep our research free and accessible to everyone who needs it. You can help us keep it that way.

What Can You Do?

ISPU is a nonprofit organization that relies on the generosity of individual donors to keep our research free and accessible to everyone who needs it. You can help us keep it that way.

Toolkits for Practitioners

ISPU enables changemakers across sectors with effective, implementable resources

Policymakers
Evidence-based policy and recommendations
Educators
Teaching tools and educational materials
Community Leaders
Community capacity building resources
Journalists
Data, methodologies, and collaboration opportunities

Explore More Recent Reports

This report explores the landscape of teacher compensation, position vacancies, and teacher retention in full-time Islamic schools in the United States. It aims to