UConn Announces Pop-Up Courses On Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia

STORRS, CT — Two University of Connecticut has announced two pop-up courses on anti-semitism and Islamophobia.

The courses will be offered in an online, asynchronous format starting March 4, meaning that students can access the lessons online at their convenience rather than being locked into a specific date and time.

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As with its previous pop-up courses, UConn is offering the one-credit classes free for students who are enrolled in at least 12 credits.

Registrations are currently being taken through March 10, and students are "welcome and encouraged to enroll in both courses if they feel their workload allows." No prerequisites are required for the courses, which run through April 26.

The course Confronting Anti-Muslim Racism, which is being offered for the first time, was created at the request of UConn’s Muslim and Palestinian student leaders, officials said.

The course will be run by by Asif Majid, an assistant professor of theater studies and human rights, and David Embrick, an associate professor of sociology and Africana studies, with additional faculty from various schools, colleges and disciplines also contributing to the modules.

The course's discussions will include recognizing the difference between anti-Muslim hatred (racism) and Islamophobia (fear of Muslims and Islam); the history of Islam and the cultural, racial, and gendered ways that the history informs today’s anti-Muslim racism; and the U.S. government’s and public’s policing and racialization of Muslim communities.

Students will also assess their own assumptions about Muslims and their politics and perspectives; learn about how the "racialization" of Muslims has affected health outcomes, social movements, college experiences, political agency, and cultural production; and identify resources and courses at UConn to help address and disrupt anti-Muslim racism.