Institute for Social Policy and Understanding - ISPU

10/09/2026

On October 21 at 12 PM EST, speakers will discuss the political weaponization of Islamophobia in American politics and the practical, research-backed strategies ISPU's new Countering Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Discrimination toolkit offers to dismantle it.

Meet the panelists:
- Tuqa Nusairat, Executive Director, ISPU
- Petra Alsoofy, Senior Outreach and Partnerships Manager, ISPU
- Sam Rasoul, Virginia State Delegate
- Mohamed Gula, CEO at and

RSVP today: https://hubs.li/Q04zjVsR0

10/07/2026

In a recent interview, spoke with ISPU's Director of Research, Saher Selod, to discuss the surge in anti-Muslim rhetoric in this year's Senate races in Michigan and Texas.

Drawing on ISPU's Islamophobia Index, Saher explains that higher anti-Muslim sentiment is tied to support for Trump, which helps explain why some Republican candidates see Islamophobic attacks as a way to mobilize voters. But she also sees a counter-response taking shape: "Our data shows that voter registration for Muslims is on the rise. More Muslims are running for office, and in response to that, we're seeing more Islamophobic attacks on these candidates."

Read the full interview: https://hubs.li/Q04zjWQH0

10/06/2026

Within hours of Abdul El-Sayed's Michigan Senate primary win, the state GOP labeled him a "terrorist sympathizer," the same playbook used against Zohran Mamdani in New York and candidates in Texas. Meanwhile, Muslim civic engagement is at a historic high, with voter registration reaching 85%.

Is Islamophobia becoming a campaign strategy? What happens when anti-Muslim rhetoric moves from the fringe into the mainstream of American politics? And how can leaders and organizations push back?

On October 21 at 12 PM EST, speakers will discuss the political weaponization of Islamophobia in American politics and the practical, research-backed strategies ISPU's new tool offers to dismantle it.

10/05/2026

K-12 educators and administrators: ISPU's data shows nearly half (47%) of Muslim families report their child was bullied for their religious identity in the past year, more than double the rate among the general public (23%). Notably, 49% of affected families named an adult as the source, including 36% who identified a teacher or school official.

Research on the effects of religious-based bullying documents lasting harm, including altered brain development from chronic stress and elevated risk of anxiety, depression, and academic disengagement, with bias-based bullying shown to be more damaging than general bullying.

ISPU's toolkit chapter for educators, administrators, and parents provides actionable steps: naming Islamophobia explicitly in Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying policy, training staff to identify religious-based bullying, and building stronger school-family partnerships.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4hUNfot

10/02/2026

ISPU research shows that Gaza reshaped the Muslim vote in 2024. A new analysis by Elliott Abrams of the Council on Foreign Relations cites ISPU data finding that Muslim support for the Democratic candidate fell to 50%, while Trump's share held at about one-third and 12% voted for Jill Stein. Only 55% of Muslims who voted for Biden in 2020 reported voting for Harris.

The article concludes that of all the groups examined, foreign policy matters most to Muslim voters. ISPU found that "the war in Gaza is a shared top policy priority across Harris, Trump, and third-party Muslim voters," and the analysis notes that the community's concentration in states like Michigan, New Jersey, and New York could give it real leverage over candidates' positions on the issue.

Read the full article: https://bit.ly/3Vl16Md

10/02/2026

📊 What does ISPU’s latest research reveal about American Muslim civic and political engagement?

As the 2026 midterm elections approach, join ISPU and the American Muslim Community Foundation for a timely conversation exploring findings from the 2025 American Muslim Poll.

Dr. Saher Selod, ISPU Director of Research, will unpack the data on political priorities, voting and civic engagement, and the challenges and opportunities shaping American Muslim participation in U.S. democracy.

📅 Thursday, October 8 | 3 PM ET
💻 Virtual | 60 minutes
🤟 ASL interpretation provided by the Minnesota Deaf Muslim Community

🔗 RSVP:

Explore American Muslim civic engagement, voting patterns, and policy priorities with Dr. Saher Selod. Insights from the 2025 American Muslim Poll. October 8 webinar.

10/01/2026

In a recent interview, the Jewish Currents spoke with ISPU's Director of Research, Saher Selod, to discuss the surge in anti-Muslim rhetoric in this year's Senate races in Michigan and Texas.

Drawing on ISPU's Islamophobia Index, Saher explains that higher anti-Muslim sentiment is tied to support for Trump, which helps explain why some Republican candidates see Islamophobic attacks as a way to mobilize voters. But she also sees a counter-response taking shape: "Our data shows that voter registration for Muslims is on the rise. More Muslims are running for office, and in response to that, we're seeing more Islamophobic attacks on these candidates."

Read the full interview at https://hubs.li/Q04yY0cQ0

09/30/2026

For university administrators and faculty: ISPU's data shows Muslim students experience religious discrimination from peers at more than twice the rate of Jewish students and four times the rate of Protestant students. Being a student specifically compounds the risk, with Muslim students reporting bias from peers at notably higher rates than Muslim non-students.

Muslim students also report the highest levels of self-censorship of any religious group measured, with 69% saying they self-censor when interacting with professors specifically. Campus spaces have been directly targeted as well, including vandalism of Islamic centers and prayer rooms at Rutgers and NYU within the past two years.

ISPU's toolkit chapter for universities and colleges outlines concrete recommendations: campus climate assessments, zero-tolerance enforcement, religious accommodations, and academic freedom protections that apply evenly across viewpoints.

Learn more: https://hubs.li/Q04yNDQP0

09/29/2026

Islamophobia isn't just an attitude, it's a political force with real consequences for everyone's rights. As ISPU’s Saher Selod points out, the rhetoric targeting Muslims, who make up just 1 to 2% of the American population, can shape policy and public opinion in ways most people never stop to think through–until it eventually reaches them too.

In our latest webinar, 25 Years After 9/11: How the War on Terror Reshaped American Democracy, researchers, journalists, and civil rights advocates explore what this rise in Islamophobia means for American democracy as a whole.

Watch the full conversation: https://hubs.li/Q04yt57f0

09/25/2026

The Guardian cites ISPU research to highlight the rise of anti-Muslim sentiment in the U.S., including findings from ISPU’s 2025 Islamophobia Index, which rose from 25 in 2022 to 33 in 2025 among the general public.

ISPU’s Director of Research, Dr. Saher Selod, puts the data into context, describing the current wave of Islamophobic political rhetoric as “probably the worst of what we’ve seen,” with attacks on Muslim candidates increasingly targeting their religious identity rather than their policies.

Read the full piece: https://hubs.li/Q04yl60r0