Craig Considine (academic)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Craig Considine (born 1985) is an Irish-Italian American author, scholar of Islam, and a faculty member of the Department of Sociology at
Rice University William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranke ...
. He also has experience in filmmaking, having directed the documentary film ''Journey into America''. Considine has written multiple works for the field of
Islamic studies Islamic studies refers to the academic study of Islam, and generally to academic multidisciplinary "studies" programs—programs similar to others that focus on the history, texts and theologies of other religious traditions, such as Easter ...
, and is recognized as an authority in
interfaith dialogue Interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive, and positive interaction between people of different religious traditions (i.e. "faiths") and/or spiritual or humanistic beliefs, at both the individual and institutional levels. It is ...
and
Christian-Muslim relations Christianity and Islam are the two largest religions in the world, with 2.8 billion and 1.9 billion adherents, respectively. Both religions are considered as Abrahamic, and are monotheistic, originating in the Middle East. Christianity deve ...
. He is a
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
.


Life and career


Birth and family

Craig Considine was born in 1985 and spent his childhood in
Needham, Massachusetts Needham ( ) is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. A suburb of Boston, its population was 32,091 at the 2020 U.S. Census. It is home of Olin College. History Early settlement Needham was first settled in 1680 with the purchase of a ...
. He is of Irish and Italian descent. As a college student, he wanted to study
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
and become an intelligence agent, so that he could spy on ‘bad’ Muslims. At the time, he had never even met a Muslim, and admitted to having fallen into the ‘
Islamophobia Islamophobia is the fear of, hatred of, or prejudice against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general, especially when seen as a geopolitical force or a source of terrorism. The scope and precise definition of the term ''Islamophobia'' ...
trap.’ In his youth, Considine attended the Catholic school Saint Bartholomew's Church and the Needham Public Schools system. In 2001, Considine first experienced discrimination against the Muslim community. On the day the
World Trade Center World Trade Centers are sites recognized by the World Trade Centers Association. World Trade Center may refer to: Buildings * List of World Trade Centers * World Trade Center (2001–present), a building complex that includes five skyscrapers, a ...
was hit, his class was told that it was a
terrorist attack Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...
. And on the days following this event, Considine overheard his schoolmates saying, ‘Down with Muslims.’ According to him, this was not something he could stand by.


Education and professional career

After graduating from
Needham High School Needham High School is a public high school in Needham, Massachusetts, educating grades 9 through 12. Aaron Sicotte is the principal of Needham High School. Its three assistant principals are Alison Coubrough-Argentieri, Mary Kay Alessi, and Pie ...
in 2003, Considine attended
American University The American University (AU or American) is a private federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Its main campus spans 90 acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, mostly in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Northwest D.C. AU was charte ...
, where he pursued a
Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
in
International relations International relations (IR), sometimes referred to as international studies and international affairs, is the scientific study of interactions between sovereign states. In a broader sense, it concerns all activities between states—such as ...
. As an undergraduate student, he worked closely under Professor
Akbar Ahmed Akbar Salahuddin Ahmed, is a Pakistani-American academic, author, poet, playwright, filmmaker and former diplomat. He currently is a professor of International Relations and holds the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at the American Universi ...
, the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies in the School of International Service. According to Considine, his relationship with his professor helped him see the Muslim community through a different lens. It helped him shift his mindset. Ahmed also viewed Considine as one of his best students. Later, the two would collaborate on the ''Journey into America'' documentary film. Considine moved to London after finishing his undergraduate degree. There, he studied for a master's in science in International Relations at the
Royal Holloway, University of London Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public research university and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It has six schools, 21 academic departm ...
. He graduated in 2008, then joined Ahmed to work on the documentary. In 2011, Considine entered
Trinity College Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...
to pursue a PhD in the Department of Sociology. While undertaking his PhD research, Considine also took on the role of Editor for the Trinity College Dublin Journal of Postgraduate Research. He oversaw the creation of Volume 11, entitled Ireland's Research on the World Stage. Along with this, he worked on his PhD thesis, which focused on the experiences of young Pakistani men in Dublin and Boston. The manuscript was accepted and published in 2014. Considine graduated in 2015. After finishing his PhD, Considine moved to
Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
, where he took a job as a lecturer in Rice University's Department of Sociology and continues to teach. His classes focus on
self-directed learning Autodidacticism (also autodidactism) or self-education (also self-learning and self-teaching) is education without the guidance of masters (such as teachers and professors) or educational institution, institutions (such as schools). Generally, ...
and
experiential learning Experiential learning (ExL) is the process of learning through experience, and is more narrowly defined as "learning through reflection on doing". Hands-on learning can be a form of experiential learning, but does not necessarily involve students ...
. In previous years, Considine provided no assigned readings nor lectures during his class sessions. Instead, he invited guest speakers to share their expertise and encouraged students to ask their own questions. Later in 2020, he gained distinction as an educator when he received the Sarah A. Burnett Teaching Prize in the Social Sciences from Rice University.


''Journey into America'' (documentary)

In 2008, after acquiring his master's degree, Considine partnered with his former professor, Akbar Ahmed to create ''Journey into America''. The documentary follows Akbar Ahmed and a group of young researchers as they document the Muslim experience in America. It also features notable figures, such as
Noam Chomsky Avram Noam Chomsky (born December 7, 1928) is an American public intellectual: a linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, historian, social critic, and political activist. Sometimes called "the father of modern linguistics", Chomsky is ...
, former Secretary of Homeland Security
Michael Chertoff Michael Chertoff (born November 28, 1953) is an American attorney who was the second United States Secretary of Homeland Security to serve under President George W. Bush. Chertoff also served for one additional day under President Barack Obama. H ...
, and
Reverend Jesse Jackson Jesse Louis Jackson (Given name, né Burns; born October 8, 1941) is an American political activist, Baptist Minister of religion, minister, and Politics of the United States, politician. He was a candidate for the Democratic Party (United S ...
. When Considine asked his professor about the project, Ahmed replied that it lacked a sufficient budget for him to come on. To join Ahmed in his
research project Research is " creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness ...
, Considine sent his resume to around 60 organizations. In the end, he received the funding he needed from Dar Al Islam, an institution in
New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
that seeks to promote the education of Islam in America. With the grant, Considine was able to join Ahmed on his journey across the United States. He filmed Ahmed's group as they interviewed American citizens across 75 different cities and 100 mosques. Considine also took charge of editing and processing the film. Later, his footage was used by popular news channels, such as
BBC World News America ''BBC World News America'' is a British/American current affairs news program created by Garth Ancier and produced by the British Broadcasting Corporation's BBC News division, which premiered on October 1, 2007. Produced out of the BBC's Washi ...
and
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by the M ...
. At one point, Considine and the rest of the team conducted a
social experiment A social experiment is a type of Psychology, psychological or Sociology, sociological research for testing people's reactions to certain situations or events. The experiment depends on a particular social approach where the main source of inform ...
in
Arab, Alabama Arab () is a city in Marshall and Cullman counties in the northern part of the U.S. state of Alabama, located from Guntersville Lake and Guntersville Dam, and is included in the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistical Area. As of the 2020 cen ...
. They dressed one of their female team members in a full
abaya The abaya "cloak" (colloquially and more commonly, ar, عباية ', especially in Literary Arabic: '; plural ', '), sometimes also called an ''aba'', is a simple, loose over-garment, essentially a robe-like dress, worn by some women in par ...
, and gauged onlookers’ reactions. To their surprise, the people of Arab were kind and accommodating of their female teammate. Throughout their travels, they reported experiencing warmth and hospitality from locals of different cities. Throughout the many interviews conducted by Ahmed and his team, they found that some people thought that Muslims could not be Americans. Conversely, they also interviewed American Muslims who were proud to be
citizens of the United States Citizenship of the United States is a citizenship, legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by t ...
. Considine was very much involved in the entire process. He hoped that the film would help bridge the relationship between American Muslims and the rest of the country. According to Considine, people of varying faiths need to be understood. ''Journey into America'' premiered at the
Islamic Society of North America The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) is a nonprofit organization based in Plainfield, Indiana. It provides a number of programs and services to the Muslim community and broader society. ISNA holds an annual convention which is generally re ...
conference in Washington, D.C. on July 4, 2009. The documentary was produced and narrated by Ahmed and directed by Considine. Ahmed also wrote a book on his experiences entitled ''Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam''. Both the documentary and the book are a follow-up to a different study conducted by Ahmed. It was entitled ‘Journey into Islam’ and followed the same researchers as they traveled across Muslim countries. The research study also sprouted a documentary and a book. The documentary garnered praise for the team's dedication to their research. Ahmed's work has cemented him as a contemporary
cultural anthropologist Cultural anthropology is a branch of anthropology focused on the study of cultural variation among humans. It is in contrast to social anthropology, which perceives cultural variation as a subset of a posited anthropological constant. The portman ...
. With Considine's help, he was able to document the operation and distribute the finished material.


''Islam, Race, and Pluralism in the Pakistani Diaspora''

Considine's first book was published in 2017. It tackled what he referred to as ‘ Pakphobia’ or the aversion to
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
in the Irish and American context. To gather information for the book, Considine met with over 40 people. He engaged them in interviews and held
focus group A focus group is a group interview involving a small number of demographically similar people or participants who have other common traits/experiences. Their reactions to specific researcher/evaluator-posed questions are studied. Focus groups are ...
s to build his book. Through his research, he found that Pakphobia in the Irish and American context stemmed from how the individuals viewed
Pakistanis Pakistanis ( ur, , translit=Pākistānī Qaum, ) are the citizens and nationals of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. According to the 2017 Pakistani national census, the population of Pakistan stood at over 213 million people, making it the w ...
as Muslims. This then taps into a perceived threat of Muslims and
radical Islam Islamic extremism, Islamist extremism, or radical Islam, is used in reference to extremist beliefs and behaviors which are associated with the Islamic religion. These are controversial terms with varying definitions, ranging from academic und ...
. Considine garnered praise for the book's accessibility. Reviewers laud the text for being easy to understand for both academics and laypeople. Considine is also praised for putting together a vast selection of anecdotes from Pakistanis of varying ages and backgrounds.


''Muslims in America: Examining the Facts''

For his second book, Considine sought to document the real lives, actions, and beliefs of American Muslims. According to him, he wanted to bring the community's voices and actions to light. The book answers 31 different questions relating to Muslims in American society. Throughout the text, Considine disproves widely believed myths. In one part of the book, he writes that Muslims condemn the violent actions of
extremists Extremism is "the quality or state of being extreme" or "the advocacy of extreme measures or views". The term is primarily used in a political or religious sense to refer to an ideology that is considered (by the speaker or by some implied share ...
. He also delves into how the Muslim community contributes to interfaith dialogue.


''The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View''

Considine's latest book examines the life and influence of
Prophet Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monoth ...
. Considine believes him to be misunderstood and writes about this with his Christian background in mind. The mix of a Christian perspective with Islamic beliefs draws out the possibility that
Islamic Theology Schools of Islamic theology are various Islamic schools and branches in different schools of thought regarding ''ʿaqīdah'' (creed). The main schools of Islamic Theology include the Qadariyah, Falasifa, Jahmiyya, Murji'ah, Muʿtazila, Bati ...
can be appreciated by non-Muslim individuals. In the book, Considine delves into Muhammad's views on race, stating that he was not merely ‘non-racist,’ but
anti-racist Anti-racism encompasses a range of ideas and political actions which are meant to counter racial prejudice, systemic racism, and the oppression of specific racial groups. Anti-racism is usually structured around conscious efforts and deliberate ...
. He also talks about
religious tolerance Religious toleration may signify "no more than forbearance and the permission given by the adherents of a dominant religion for other religions to exist, even though the latter are looked on with disapproval as inferior, mistaken, or harmful". ...
and how it is not always enough in the context of
religious pluralism Religious pluralism is an attitude or policy regarding the diversity of religious belief systems co-existing in society. It can indicate one or more of the following: * Recognizing and tolerating the religious diversity of a society or countr ...
. Later, Considine introduces the concept of a ‘civil nation state,’ which is a community that transcends ethnic, tribal and religious boundaries. In such a community, people from diverse backgrounds can live under one government and one creator – God.


Works


Books

* ''Islam, Race, and Pluralism in the Pakistani Diaspora''. 2017.
Routledge Routledge () is a British multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanities, behavioural science, education, law, and ...
. ISBN 978-1-315-46275-2. * ''Muslims in America: Examining the Facts''. 2018. ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-4408-6054-6. * ''Islam in America: Exploring the Issues''. 2019. ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-4408-6631-9. * ''The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View''. 2020. Blue Dome Press. ISBN 978-1-68206-529-7. * ''People of the Book: Prophet Muhammad’s Encounters with Christians''. 2021.
Hurst Publishers Hurst Publishers (C. Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd) is an independent non-fiction publisher based in the Bloomsbury area of London. Hurst specializes in books on global affairs and has lists in Islamic Studies, European History, War & Conflict, Afri ...
. ISBN 978-1-78738-471-2.


Journal Articles


Family, Religion, and Identity in the Pakistani Diaspora: A Case Study of Young Pakistani Men in Dublin and Boston
(PhD Thesis). 2014.
Trinity College Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...
.
Religious Pluralism and Civic Rights in a “Muslim Nation”: An Analysis of Prophet Muhammad’s Covenants with Christians
2016.
MDPI MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute) is a publisher of open access scientific journals. Founded by Shu-Kun Lin as a chemical sample archive, it now publishes over 390 peer-reviewed, open access journals. MDPI is the largest op ...
.
The Racialization of Islam in the United States: Islamophobia, Hate Crimes, and “Flying while Brown”
2017.
MDPI MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute) is a publisher of open access scientific journals. Founded by Shu-Kun Lin as a chemical sample archive, it now publishes over 390 peer-reviewed, open access journals. MDPI is the largest op ...
.


Other Media

* ''Journey Into America''. 2009 (documentary).
What Prophet Muhammad’s covenants with Christians say about IS
2016. ''
Middle East Eye Middle East Eye (MEE) is a London-based news website covering events in the Middle East and North Africa. MEE describes itself as an "independently funded online news organization that was founded in April 2014." MEE seeks to be the primary porta ...
''.
Prophet Muhammad stood for humanity in Medina, while IS tries to destroy it
June 3, 2016. ''
Middle East Eye Middle East Eye (MEE) is a London-based news website covering events in the Middle East and North Africa. MEE describes itself as an "independently funded online news organization that was founded in April 2014." MEE seeks to be the primary porta ...
''.
The Rohingya Are the New Palestinians
September 26, 2017. ''
Foreign Policy A State (polity), state's foreign policy or external policy (as opposed to internal or domestic policy) is its objectives and activities in relation to its interactions with other states, unions, and other political entities, whether bilaterall ...
.''
Muslims in America: Separating fact from fiction
August 14, 2018. ''
Daily Sabah The ''Daily Sabah'' (lit. "Daily Morning") is a Turkish pro-government daily, published in Turkey. Available in English, Arabic, and owned by Turkuvaz Media Group, ''Daily Sabah'' published its first issue on 24 February 2014. The editor-in-chief ...
''.
Notre Dame and Al-Aqsa Fires Give Christians and Muslims a Chance to Work Together to Repair Their Sacred Spaces
April 16, 2019. ''
Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
''.
The Sri Lanka Church Bombings Are the Opposite of What Prophet Muhammad Intended
April 23, 2019. ''
Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
''.
Can the Power of Prayer Alone Stop a Pandemic like the Coronavirus? Even the Prophet Muhammad Thought Otherwise
March 17, 2020. ''
Newsweek ''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis (businessman), Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print m ...
''.


Other Engagements

Throughout his professional career, Considine has spoken in multiple academic events. In 2012, he was a guest speaker for an event by SOAS University London that highlighted his work in ''Journey into America''. He was joined by his former professor, Ahmed. Also present were two other scholars in Muslim studies, Dr. Anshuman Mondal and Professor Peter Morey. Considine was also invited to speak at
University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...
, for an event entitled, ‘Prophet Muhammad's Promises to Christians.’ It was sponsored by notable organizations, namely the Al-Islam Students Association, the Humanities Program, the Department of Sociology, the
University of Arkansas Honors College The Honors College at the University of Arkansas enhances the learning of students by sharing unique learning experiences with participants. From 10 to 15% of Arkansas undergraduates participate in the Honors College. Entering freshman for the Hon ...
, the Middle Eastern Center, and the Religious Studies Program. Aside from speaking at academic events, Considine has also been a guest on podcasts. He's been invited to Podcast Noor, hosted by Noor Al-Huda, where he talked about the commonalities between Jesus and Muhammad. The episode highlights the interfaith dialogue between Christianity and Islam, saying that the two religious figures would have been friends if they’d met today. Another podcast Considine went on in This Being Human, which is supported by the
Aga Khan Museum The Aga Khan Museum (french: Musée Aga Khan) is a museum of Islamic art, Iranian (Persian) art and Muslim culture located at 77 Wynford Drive in the North York district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The museum is dedicated to Islamic art and obj ...
. In that podcast, he also delves into his interest in interfaith dialogue. He highlights his belief that Christianity and Islam are not very different in essence, and pushes for the importance of interfaith cooperation, tolerance, understanding, and convergence. Considine has also made multiple appearances on news outlets to speak on current events regarding Islamophobia and other extremist acts related to religion. He's appeared on TRT World Now, an English-speaking Turkish public broadcaster news channel. There, he talked about the
Christchurch mosque shootings On 15 March 2019, two consecutive mass shootings occurred in a terrorist attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. The attacks, carried out by a lone gunman who entered both mosques during Friday prayer, began at the Al Noor Mosque ...
and how this affected the public opinion on the Muslim community. In the interview, he highlighted how terrorism was an act not exclusive to a specific community, and spoke up against politicians who leveraged public ignorance to incite religious-based discrimination. Considine has also been a guest in other international interviews, primarily in
Al Jazeera Al Jazeera ( ar, الجزيرة, translit-std=DIN, translit=al-jazīrah, , "The Island") is a state-owned Arabic-language international radio and TV broadcaster of Qatar. It is based in Doha and operated by the media conglomerate Al Jazeera ...
features.


See also


Personal Website

Dr. Craig Considine
LinkedIn LinkedIn () is an American business and employment-oriented online service that operates via websites and mobile apps. Launched on May 5, 2003, the platform is primarily used for professional networking and career development, and allows job se ...
profile.
Craig M. Considine
Rice University William Marsh Rice University (Rice University) is a Private university, private research university in Houston, Houston, Texas. It is on a 300-acre campus near the Houston Museum District and adjacent to the Texas Medical Center. Rice is ranke ...
, faculty profile.
Dr. Craig Considine
Routledge Routledge () is a British multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanities, behavioural science, education, law, and ...
, author profile.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Considine, Craig 1985 births Living people American Islamic studies scholars American male film actors American people of Irish descent American people of Italian descent American Roman Catholic religious writers Christian and Islamic interfaith dialogue Christian scholars of Islam People from Needham, Massachusetts People in interfaith dialogue Rice University faculty