In the midst of a polarized and heated election season in 2016 where Muslims were frequent subjects of national debate, the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) set out to discover what American Muslims wanted for themselves. ISPU researchers set out to answer three key questions:
- Why: What is the case for American Muslim civic and political engagement?
- What: What are the main policy priorities for American Muslim communities
- How: What do American Muslim communities need to do in the short term and the long term to increase political participation?
Methodology
This report is based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative research techniques. ISPU researchers based their analysis and recommendations on:
- A literature review of “Get Out The Vote” best practices
- In-depth interviews with more than 30 civic leaders
- A 2016 ISPU nationally representative poll of American Muslims
- Extensive additional qualitative feedback from our advisors, Muslim community leaders and community members
Report & Executive Summary
American Muslims in the 2016 Election and Beyond: Full Report
April 5, 2016,In the midst of a polarized and heated election season in 2016 where Muslims were frequent subjects of national debate, the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) set out to discover what American Muslims wanted for themselves. ISPU researchers set out to answer three...
American Muslims in the 2016 Election and Beyond: Executive Summary
April 5, 2016,In the midst of a polarized and heated election season in 2016 where Muslims were frequent subjects of national debate, the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) set out to discover what American Muslims wanted for themselves. ISPU researchers set out to answer three...
Other Useful Reading
American Muslims Should Fight Islamophobia in 2016 Elections
April 18, 2015,The American Muslim condition is paradoxical. Muslims in the U.S. live in the best of circumstances and the worst of times. Most tend to be mainstream, moderate and middle class. They are educated and are well integrated into American society. In fact, they are seen...
Politics and Prejudice: Countering Islamophobia in the 2016 Presidential Race
June 5, 2015,If the last two elections are any indication, candidates in the 2016 presidential race may be tempted to engage in Muslim-bashing – playing off national security anxieties and fostering racial and religious animus – to win the vote. But anti-Muslim bigotry comes at a high...
Strategies to Increase Effective Political Engagement: An American Muslim Case Study
This case study explores the journey of a group of American Muslims from northern Virginia that took measures to create and nurture an ecosystem to improve their community’s political engagement. The group’s strategic aim was to increase American Muslim participation and representation at local, city, county, state, and national levels through volunteer service, appointment, and election. Over time, the group cultivated meaningful and long-term relationships with candidates across political, racial, ethnic, and religious lines.
Recommendations at a Glance
Are you an Inshallah Voter? Watch this video to find out.
Additional Resources
These resources may be helpful for political engagement organizers, though ISPU does not claim responsibility for the content.
Restrictive Measures Map
Click the graphic below to view an interactive map that uses data from over 3100 bills across all 50 states to track which state lawmakers supported legislation targeting reproductive rights, voting rights, refugees, Muslims, and more.
Meet the Research Team
Dr. Tasneem Siddiqui
Primary Investigator
PhD from the Department of American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California (USC)
Laila Alawa
Secondary Investigator
CEO and Founder, The Tempest
Lead Marketing Strategist, PushBrand Marketing
Youssef Chouhoud
Senior Research Assistant
Assistant Professor at Christopher Newport University
Dalia Mogahed
Director of Research, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Sarrah Buageila
Project Manager, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Meet the Research Team
Dr. Tasneem Siddiqui
Primary Investigator
PhD from the Department of American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California (USC)
Laila Alawa
Secondary Investigator
CEO and Founder, The Tempest
Lead Marketing Strategist, PushBrand Marketing
Youssef Chouhoud
Senior Research Assistant
Assistant Professor at Christopher Newport University
Dalia Mogahed
Director of Research, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Sarrah Buageila
Project Manager, Institute for Social Policy and Understanding
Meet the Study Advisors
Amaney Jamal
Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Politics at Princeton University
Director, Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice
Director, Workshop on Arab Political Development
Rashida Tlaib
Community Partnerships and Development Director, Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice
First Muslim woman elected to the Michigan Legislature in 2008 and one of the first Muslim women elected to U.S. House of Representatives in 2018
Muqtedar Khan
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Delaware
Rahfin Faruk
Harry S. Truman Scholar
Summa cum laude graduate, Southern Methodist University, Degrees in economics, political science, public policy, and religious studies
Meet the Study Advisors
Amaney Jamal
Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Politics at Princeton University
Director, Mamdouha S. Bobst Center for Peace and Justice
Director, Workshop on Arab Political Development
Rashida Tlaib
Community Partnerships and Development Director, Sugar Law Center for Economic & Social Justice
First Muslim woman elected to the Michigan Legislature in 2008 and one of the first Muslim women elected to U.S. House of Representatives in 2018
Muqtedar Khan
Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Delaware
Rahfin Faruk
Harry S. Truman Scholar
Summa cum laude graduate, Southern Methodist University, Degrees in economics, political science, public policy, and religious studies