Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality reminds us that identity cannot be understood through a single lens. People live at the intersections of multiple systems: race, gender, faith, class, and these intersections shape not only how they are seen by others, but also how they experience the world (Crenshaw, 1991). Religion, particularly when visible, is one such axis that can amplify both belonging and exclusion within educational settings.
In Is Religion Good or Bad?, Kwame Anthony Appiah challenges binary understandings of religion as wholly good or bad. He invites us to consider how religion, like culture, is socially constructed and embedded in personal, familial and historical contexts (Appiah, 2014). However, in public discourse and, by extension, in our classrooms, religion is often reduced to caricature. These flattening’s become especially dangerous when faith intersects with other identity factors, such as race and gender, reinforcing damaging stereotypes and undermining the complexity of lived experience.
Haifaa Jawad explores how visibly Muslim women navigate the layered challenges of faith, gender and public visibility, in Islam, Women and Sport. The wearing of the hijab not only expresses belief but makes religious identity hyper-visible, often inviting scrutiny, surveillance or exclusion. Jawad argues that the barriers these women face are not due to their faith per se, but rather the systems and spaces that fail to accommodate difference (Jawad, 2022). This insight is transferable to educational spaces where visibly religious students, such as Black and Brown Muslim women, may be subject to misrecognition or stereotyping that undermines their agency and belonging.
Singh’s reflections in Challenging Race, Religion, and Stereotypes in the Classroom (Singh, 2016) offer an important perspective on how to navigate faith-based and racial differences in educational spaces. He argues that empathy and relationship-building are essential tools for addressing ignorance and bias, encouraging educators and students alike to look beyond stereotypes by understanding where others are coming from. Rather than avoiding difficult topics, Singh advocates for open discussion, underpinned by curiosity and respect. This aligns with hooks’ (1994) call for education as the practice of freedom, where classrooms become spaces to critically engage with difference, not suppress it. Singh’s emphasis on teaching students to analyse arguments, particularly those used to divide or marginalise, supports the shift from reactive accommodation to creating a learning environment where difference is expected, respected, and engaged with critically.
At UAL, data from the Religion and Belief at UAL report and the Student Experience Survey highlight persistent issues for Muslim students. These range from limited access to prayer spaces to inadequate recognition of fasting and religious holidays, to broader feelings of cultural or faith-based misrepresentation. These are not isolated concerns but systemic patterns that intersect with race, migration, and class, shaping student experiences in material and emotional ways (University of the Arts London, 2022).
In my teaching, I’ve become more attuned to how institutional structures can unintentionally marginalise students of faith. During Ramadan, for example, I had several students who were fasting. While there is limited formal guidance within UAL, I approached the situation with care, acknowledging that fasting may affect energy levels and concentration, without making assumptions about who might be participating. I offered flexible tutorial slots and explicitly invited students to let me know if they needed support or adjustments. This reflects what Hockings (2010) describes as anticipatory inclusive practice, planning proactively to meet diverse student needs rather than reacting only when barriers arise.
Similarly, this year’s Easter break fell later than usual, meaning teaching resumed just before the Easter weekend. Some students, away from family during this significant Christian holiday, felt uncomfortable. I raised this with the course leader and proposed online tutorials for any student unable to be present in the studio, regardless of faith. Small acts like this are grounded in empathy and help challenge the idea that students must choose between faith and learning.
These experiences and my learning during this module have led me to be more proactive. I now open conversations with students by making it clear that I welcome discussions about faith-related needs, without requiring them to disclose unless they choose to. This shift, although simple, aims to reduce the burden on students to self-advocate in systems that often overlook religious practice. It aligns with Arao and Clemens’ (2013) framing of “brave spaces”, where students can share aspects of their identity when they wish to, supported by trust and openness rather than assumptions or pressure.
Reflecting on my positionality, I belong to a faith that has visible markers, but I choose not to express them outwardly. Yet, I have often experienced assumptions of my faith based on my race, assumptions about how religious I am or what I believe. These moments are uncomfortable, and I don’t always feel there is space to explain or challenge them. This awareness deepens my commitment to creating a classroom culture where students are not made to feel “othered” for how they express, or don’t express, their beliefs.
For the coming year, I am committing to including a clear, faith-inclusive statement in my introductory teaching materials. I will encourage students to approach me with any concerns around timetabling, religious obligations, or access needs, and will work collaboratively to make reasonable adjustments that do not place faith and study in opposition.
Faith does not exist in isolation. When it becomes visible, through dress, behaviour or institutional requirements, it interacts with race, gender, and social norms in powerful ways. Crenshaw’s (1991) framework reminds us that inclusion requires more than recognising difference; it requires us to examine the systems and assumptions that shape the classroom itself. Only then can we foster a learning environment that is equitable, inclusive, and truly humanising.
References
Appiah, K. A. (2014) Is religion good or bad? (This is a trick question). Youtube [Online]. 16 June. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2et2KO8gcY (Accessed 16 May 2025).
Arao, B. and Clemens, K. (2013) ‘From safe spaces to brave spaces: A new way to frame dialogue around diversity and social justice’, in Landreman, L. (ed.) The Art of Effective Facilitation: Reflections from Social Justice Educators. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, pp. 135–150.
Crenshaw, K. (1991) ‘Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color’, Stanford Law Review, 43(6), pp. 1241–1299.
Hockings, C. (2010) Inclusive learning and teaching in higher education: a synthesis of research. York: Higher Education Academy. Available at: https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/knowledge-hub/inclusive-learning-and-teaching-higher-education (Accessed 5 July 2025).
Hooks, b. (1994) Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. New York: Routledge (Accessed 5 July 2025).
Jawad, H. (2022) Islam, Women and Sport: The Case of Visible Muslim Women. [Online]. Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/religionglobalsociety/2022/09/islam-women-and-sport-the-case-of-visible-muslim-women/ (Accessed 16 May 2025).
Reki, J. (2023) Religious Identity and Epistemic Injustice: An Intersectional Account. Hypatia 38, pp779–800.
Singh, S. (2016) Challenging Race, Religion, and Stereotypes in the Classroom. [Video] Trinity University. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CAOKTo_DOk (Accessed 16 May 2025).
University of the Arts London (UAL) (2022) Religion and Belief at UAL: Staff and Student Guidance. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk (Accessed 5 July 2025).
Kuljeet, first of all, thank you for bringing my attention to UAL’s Religion and Belief report I had no knowledge of it!
Your mentioning of trying to accommodate students during Ramadan and Easter resonates with me. We offered online tutorials for students that where fasting and agreed absences too. I think this type of accommodations make a difference with inclusion and sends a message to prospective students. Recently, I was part of an offer holders day at Foundation and I was surprised at how many questions where around chaplaincy and mental health support. It made me think that students value these resources more than we think when choosing what courses to progress to.
Thank you, Ignacia, it’s great to hear you, too, were able to support students during Ramadan, and I completely agree that small accommodations can have a big impact. It’s encouraging to know others are thinking about inclusion in such practical ways. I wonder how this could lead to more institutional policies that we actually encounter, to ensure it’s not left to individuals to implement.
I was also really struck by your observation about students asking about chaplaincy and mental health support during offer holder days. It highlights how support structures are becoming increasingly important to students when making choices about their future, possibly just as important as course content or facilities. I think we often underestimate the value of these resources until students explicitly point to them. Perhaps the start of a wake-up call, concerning not being able to rely on publicised national tables and stats alone!
Kuljeet, you detected interesting and inspiring analogies, such as how Singh’s recommendations align with hooks’, both advocating open discussion from a point of empathy and respect. On reading about the assumptions that have been made about you, I was thinking of Sadiq’s (2023) call to invite any questions one might want to ask him rather than assuming. Your reflection resonates with me, there is often no room for clarification which leaves the experience uncomfortably unresolved.
Thank you, Eva, I really appreciate your connection to Sadiq’s (2023) invitation, what a powerful act of agency and openness. It reminds me how important it is to shift from assumption to dialogue, and to create pedagogical spaces that allow for pause, clarification, and mutual understanding. That discomfort you mention, of unresolved assumptions, can linger far longer than the moment itself. I’m thinking more and more about how to make room for that kind of reflective exchange in my teaching practice.