Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality reminds us that identities do not operate in isolation – faith, race, gender, class, and other social categories often overlap, amplifying or complicating experiences of inclusion or marginalisation. A personal teaching experience early in the academic year brought this into sharp focus for me.
As part of my commitment to community-building, I’ve embedded social experiences into the very first day of teaching – usually informal drinks either at the LCC Darkroom bar or The Elephant & Castle pub. The idea was to create an easy, welcoming space for students to connect. However, one year, a Muslim student approached me at the last minute to say they felt excluded from the event. It shook me. I had thought that offering a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks would be inclusive. What I hadn’t considered was that, for some Muslim students, being in a space that serves alcohol is considered haram (forbidden). This moment was a sharp learning curve.
I spent time with the student to better understand their concerns and quickly adjusted future social activities to take place in more neutral, inclusive venues such as cafés. This experience also framed how I interpreted the decision not to include a bar in the new LCC building – one reason cited was that such spaces can alienate students from cultures where alcohol is culturally or religiously inappropriate. This kind of spatial consideration is an example of institutional intersectionality in action.
In “Islam, Women and Sport”, Homa Jawad offers a similar insight into the ways visibility and space intersect with identity. Muslim women wearing hijabs often face exclusion in sports settings – not just due to dress codes, but because these environments aren’t designed with their faith in mind (Jawad, 2022). The intersection of gender, religion, and cultural identity can intensify marginalisation.
Juliana Reki, in “Religious Identity and Epistemic Injustice”, addresses how people of faith, particularly from racialised communities, are frequently subject to epistemic injustice – where their beliefs are considered irrational or less credible (Reki, 2023). The marginalisation is not just religious; it is compounded by race, gender, and cultural difference.
Kwame Anthony Appiah’s TED talk reminds us that religion is deeply enmeshed with identity, community, and tradition. It is not easily separated from culture or place (Appiah, 2014). This is echoed in Trinity University’s short video, where students speak to the compounded challenges of being both racialised and religious minorities in academic spaces (Trinity University, 2016). Assumptions and stereotypes operate across axes, not in silos.
At UAL, our own data supports the need for more nuanced inclusion. According to the 2022–23 EDI Report, only 29% of students declared a religion or belief, down from 34% in 2019–20. Meanwhile, 57.1% declared no religion, and 12.2% preferred not to say (UAL, 2023). This suggests a possible discomfort with sharing religious identity, or a perception that these identities are not fully welcomed or understood.
As educators, applying an intersectional lens to faith helps us better understand how seemingly inclusive practices can unintentionally exclude. My own learning experience made it clear that inclusive intentions are not enough – understanding the lived experiences of our students must be part of our design, planning, and reflection (Crenshaw, 1991).
References
Appiah, K.A. (2014) Is religion good or bad? (This is a trick question). [YouTube video], TED. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2et2KO8gcY [Accessed 6 June 2025].
Crenshaw, K. (1991) ‘Mapping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against Women of Color’, Stanford Law Review, 43(6), pp. 1241–1299.
Jawad, H. (2022) Islam, women and sport: The case of visible Muslim women. Religion and Global Society, LSE. Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/religionglobalsociety/2022/09/islam-women-and-sport-the-case-of-visible-muslim-women/ [Accessed 6 June 2025].
Reki, J. (2023) ‘Religious Identity and Epistemic Injustice: An Intersectional Account’, Hypatia, 38(4), pp. 779–800.
Trinity University (2016) Challenging race, religion, and stereotypes in the classroom. [Video], YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CAOKTo_DOk [Accessed 6 June 2025].
University of the Arts London (UAL) (2023) Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Report 2022-23. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/432141/SPCB23435-EDI-report-2022-23.pdf [Accessed 6 June 2025].
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