Institute for Social Policy and Understanding - ISPU

Institute for Social Policy and Understanding - ISPU ISPU provides objective research and education about issues that impact Muslims in the U.S.
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Founded in 2002, ISPU has been at the forefront of discovering trends and opportunities that impact American Muslims for almost 20 years. We’re a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that builds understanding, strengthens communities, and protects pluralism by laying a foundation of actionable research. As the only organization of our kind, we’re the go-to source for anyone seeking information abou

t Muslims in America and issues that impact them. We also share what we know in easily digestible ways with the general public, policymakers, media professionals, community leaders, and more. ISPU has staff hubs in both in Dearborn, Michigan, and Washington, D.C.

Data cuts through hate—but research takes resources.Behind every headline-changing report, webinar, and dataset is a com...
09/03/2026

Data cuts through hate—but research takes resources.

Behind every headline-changing report, webinar, and dataset is a community of supporters who believe facts can build a safer, more informed society.

Help ISPU keep producing the research that protects Muslim youth, informs policymakers, and elevates American Muslim voices.

✨ Become a monthly ISPU Sustainer: Fuel consistent, independent research with a regular gift
✨ Make a one-time gift: Stand with us on the side of rigorous research, which counteracts bigotry

More: https://bit.ly/3SOyA4x

What happens when the erosion of some communities’ rights is accepted as the price of security? How did post-9/11 polici...
09/01/2026

What happens when the erosion of some communities’ rights is accepted as the price of security? How did post-9/11 policies weaken the democratic safeguards intended to protect everyone? And what lessons must we carry forward as the country confronts rising authoritarianism and renewed threats to civil liberties?

Join ISPU on Wednesday, September 9, at 12 p.m. EST to discuss all these questions and more. We'll look at how the last quarter-century's national security policies laid the groundwork for the moment we're in now, and what it will take to defend democratic rights and institutions in the years ahead.

Register: https://hubs.li/Q04vxFQp0

As students head back to the classroom, creating schools where every child feels safe and supported must be part of the ...
08/31/2026

As students head back to the classroom, creating schools where every child feels safe and supported must be part of the conversation.

ISPU’s American Muslim Poll 2025 finds that nearly half (47%) of Muslim families with children in K–12 say their children have experienced bullying because of their religion in the past year, compared with 23% of families in the general public.

Even more concerning: among Muslim families who reported religious-based bullying, nearly half (49%) said an adult was responsible, including 36% who identified a teacher or school official.

Learn more at https://hubs.li/Q04sZzzK0

The Intercept reports on RFK's plan to "investigate terrorism" by demanding federal action against CAIR National by HHS....
08/28/2026

The Intercept reports on RFK's plan to "investigate terrorism" by demanding federal action against CAIR National by HHS. Saher Selod was quoted on Islamophobia's ramp up during election cycles.

Read on: https://hubs.li/Q04qRsTG0

What does it take to move beyond surface-level interfaith engagement and have dialogue rooted in real trust and understa...
08/26/2026

What does it take to move beyond surface-level interfaith engagement and have dialogue rooted in real trust and understanding?

It means making space for hard conversations, recognizing that no individual speaks for an entire faith community, and paying attention to who is, and isn’t, in the room.

We’re sharing more practical recommendations from Bridges and Barriers, ISPU’s latest report on interfaith engagement, co-authored with , for building deeper, more meaningful relationships across faith communities.

Read the full report: https://hubs.li/Q04sZ5JL0

What happens when the erosion of some communities’ rights is accepted as the price of security? How did post-9/11 polici...
08/24/2026

What happens when the erosion of some communities’ rights is accepted as the price of security? How did post-9/11 policies weaken the democratic safeguards intended to protect everyone? And what lessons must we carry forward as the country confronts rising authoritarianism and renewed threats to civil liberties?

Join ISPU on Wednesday, September 9, at 12 p.m. EST to discuss all these questions and more. We'll look at how the last quarter-century's national security policies laid the groundwork for the moment we're in now, and what it will take to defend democratic rights and institutions in the years ahead.

Register: https://hubs.ly/Q04v0m940

08/19/2026

Culturally responsive mental health care starts with more than simply knowing about a community. As Dr. Latifat Cabirou says, it requires cultural humility, a willingness to seek out opportunities to learn, and the ability to have open conversations about culture and the challenges people face without becoming defensive.

In our latest webinar, Distress and Disconnection, mental health professionals, researchers, and community leaders explore what this looks like in practice for American Muslim communities.

Watch the full conversation: https://hubs.li/Q04sR-Pv0

As Muslim candidates gain ground in American politics, anti-Muslim rhetoric is once again being deployed to portray thei...
08/14/2026

As Muslim candidates gain ground in American politics, anti-Muslim rhetoric is once again being deployed to portray their participation as a threat.

In a new HuffPost piece by Brittany Wong, ISPU’s American Muslim Poll 2025 helps put this moment in context: anti-Muslim sentiment among the general public rose in 2025. ISPU Director of Research Saher Selod also weighs in on how familiar Islamophobic tropes are being weaponized against Muslim candidates like Abdul El-Sayed and Zohran Mamdani.

Read the full piece: https://hubs.li/Q04sS7410

ISPU’s Board of Directors is growing, and we need your help finding the right people to join us! We’re especially seekin...
08/12/2026

ISPU’s Board of Directors is growing, and we need your help finding the right people to join us!

We’re especially seeking candidates who reflect the full diversity of Muslim communities, including Black and African American Muslims, Latino Muslims, Muslim women, and those based in the South and West. We also welcome non-Muslim allies who are deeply invested in ISPU’s mission.

Think you or someone you know would be a great fit? Visit https://hubs.li/Q04sGktW0 to learn more and submit a nomination.

08/11/2026

When we asked our team, what’s one ISPU data point that has stayed with you, we expected a range of answers—instead, a clear pattern emerged.

In this episode of Deep Dives with ISPU, we hear from ISPU Executive Director Tuqa Nusairat, Director of Research Dr. Saher Selod, and Senior Research Project Manager Erum Ikramullah as they reflect on research that means the most to them.

Together, their insights reveal a larger story, one of a community that continues to participate, engage, and invest in society, even as bias and misperceptions persist. From rising voter registration to unchanged levels of discrimination to deeply embedded stereotypes about Muslim women, this episode connects the dots between participation, perception, and the narratives in between.

At first, the connection feels surprising. But as the data unfolds, it becomes clear: this is a pattern we’ve been seeing all along.

Watch the full episode now:
https://hubs.li/Q04qwYyk0

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