Publications/News

NEWS/MEDIA/PUBLICATIONS

Native American and Indigenous Muslim Stories: Reclaiming the Narrative project (NAIMS): Trends and Treasures

The NAIMS Trends and Treasures is out. It is a thematic report of the strengths and struggles of Native American and Indigenous Muslims (NAIMS). It draws on the narratives of participants in the Visions and Voices portion, as well as on a series of focus groups with Native American and Indigenous people of other faiths and no faith. Here

‘No rest from the mess’: an intersectional analysis of young women’s pandemic lives in Aotearoa New Zealand

Thorpe, H., Ahmad, N., Nemani, M. J., & O’Leary, G., (2023). ‘No rest from the mess’: an intersectional analysis of young women’s pandemic lives in Aotearoa New Zealand. Community, Work & Family. Available

Deakin Seminar on 'Race, Gender & Sexuality in Sport

I will be speaking at a seminar hosted by Deakin University alongside Kim Toffoletti and Bridgette Desjardins on our respective research which sits at the intersections of gender, sexuality and race/ethnicity.

Spotlight on Race, Gender and Sexuality in Sport: This seminar showcases the latest research from Deakin sociologists working at the intersections of gender, sexuality and race/ethnicity. Speaking at the event will be Fullbright scholar Dr Nida Ahmad, who will be discussing her research on Muslim women’s experiences of sport and recreation; Dr Bridgette Desjardins, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Canadian Postdoctoral Fellow, will present on the exclusion of trans women from women’s sport; Associate Professor of Sociology, Kim Toffoletti shares findings from a national survey on cyberhate in elite women’s sport.

“If You Didn’t Exercise during Lockdown, What Were You Even Doing?”: Young Women, Sport, and Fitness in Pandemic Times

Thorpe, H., O’Leary, G., Ahmad, N., Nemani, M. J. (2023). “If You Didn’t Exercise during Lockdown, What Were You Even Doing?”: Young Women, Sport, and Fitness in Pandemic Times. Youth. Available

The Vassar Muslim Student Association

I was invited to join the NAIMS team at Vassar College to discuss the Native American Indigenous Muslim Project.

NATIVE AMERICAN AND INDIGENOUS MUSLIM STORIES: Reclaiming the Narrative

I am so grateful to be part of the NAIMS project and team. The first portion of the NAIMS project is live. It features the photo narratives of each participant. Click through each slide to learn more about each participant’s stories.

Sports in the Global South

I had a wonderful opportunity to be one of the panelist for the Institute for Advanced Study in the Global South at Northwestern University in Qatar (#IAS_NUQ). The session focused on sports major part of the everyday lives, politics, cultures, media, and imaginations of the Global South. Yet, how sports and the ‘Global South’ intersect continues to demand interrogation. Historically, sports, in all their diversity, have been central to how the countries and people of the so-called Global South have been both integrated and systematically excluded from participating on the world stage. Across the globe, everyday sporting practices and discourses continue to be shaped by the legacies of colonialism and marked by elements of racism, sexism, classism, and agism, to name a few. And yet, sports often bear some of the wildest dreams of development, economic mobility, equality, and world peace. As Qatar prepares to become the first Arab country to host the World Cup, #IAS_NUQ seeks to explore how sports and the Global South, as lived realities and notions, shape each other. What is the continued relevance of sports in understanding the societies, cultures, histories, and media systems of the Global South? This panel brings together scholars from a range of disciplines and locations to interrogate the valence of sports as a lens for understanding the Global South, and vice versa, with a particular focus on examining media systems, geopolitics, performativity, and gender.

“We seek those moments of togetherness”: digital intimacies, virtual touch and becoming community in pandemic times

Thorpe, H., Jeffrey, A., Fullagar, S., & Ahmad, N. (2022). “We seek those moments of togetherness”: digital intimacies, virtual touch and becoming community in pandemic times. Feminist Media Studies, 1-18. Available: here.

Serving Community Through Ethical Research

I had a wonderful opportunity to be a guest speaker for Skater Uktis an all-Muslim female global skate group. The presentation focused on the importance of conducting ethical research with communities. If you are interested in the recording please reach out.

'More Obstacles Than Achievements'

I had a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with Women Win and Adidas on their Breaking Barriers Project. The research examines the state of girls’ sport in the EU looking at the barriers that limit and/or hinder sport participation, and the actionable opportunities that remain. You can read the white paper here.

Critical Encounters with Social Media in Women's Sport and Physical Culture

Toffoletti, K., Ahmad, N., & Thorpe, H. (2022). Critical Encounters with Social Media in Women’s Sport and Physical Culture. In Sanderson, J. (Ed.), Sport, Social Media, and Digital Technology: Sociological Approaches. Emerald Publishing. Available: here.

A New Chapter For Refugees

Skateistan is doing some amazing work. I am grateful to be part of the program that is currently happening in Albania and soo proud of the youth leaders who are providing so much joy to all. Some background info here.

Proposed French law banning hijab in sport is heinous and harmful

I offered some insights into the Hijab ban in France. Read it here.

Feminist Approaches to Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)

Hayhurst, L., Thorpe, H., Chawanksy, M., & Ahmad, N. (In press). Feminist Approaches to Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL), In Hayhurst, L., Thorpe, H., & Chawanksy, M. (Eds.). Sport, Gender and Development: Intersections, Innovations and Future Trajectories. Emerald Publishing. Available: here.

Women Yoga Practitioners’ Experiences in the Pandemic: From Collective Exhaustion to Affirmative Ethics

Jeffrey, A., Thorpe, H., & Ahmad. N. (2021). Women Yoga Practitioners’ Experiences in the Pandemic: From Collective Exhaustion to Affirmative Ethics. Sociology of Sport Journal. Advance online publication available here: https://doi.org/10.1123/ssj.2020-0207.

Muslim Women in Sport Network Summit 2021

Muslim Women in Sport Network (MWSN) will be hosting their second virtual summit from Jun 18-20th! We have an amazing set of speakers lined up and prizes to give away, so do not forget to register! [Sign me up!]

Muslim in Moderation (podcast): Muslim Women and Sport

I was invited by Ali Ahmed who runs the Muslim in Moderation podcast which focuses the discussion on minority culture, identity and politics emanating from immigrant and minority experiences of Muslims in the West. You can listen [here].

Past and Present Transformative Experiences in Aotearoa New Zealand

I was invited by Manapou ki te Ao (Education New Zealand) to speak about my experiences as a doctoral student in Aotearoa New Zealand. The panel covered a range of topics including culture, social identity, and how these experiences shaped our personal, professional, and academic lives. You can watch the conversation here.

Muslim women's sporting spatialities: navigating culture, religion and moving bodies in Aotearoa New Zealand

Thorpe, H., Ahmad, N., Marfell, A., & Richards, J. (2020). Muslim women’s sporting spatialities: Navigating culture, religion and moving bodies in Aotearoa New Zealand. Gender, Place & Culture, 1-39. Available here.

Special Panel Presentation: Muslim Women and Girls 'Deep Dive" into experience in Aotearoa

I along with Professor Holly Thorpe, Ola Shain, and Dr Noha Nasef were invited to take part in a special panel at the Sport NZ Women and Girls Women and Girls Summit 2020 where we discussed the experiences of Muslim women in play, active recreation and sport in Aotearoa. Check out the presentation here.

Building Cultural Diversity in Sport: A Critical Dialogue with Muslim Women and Sports Facilitators

Ahmad, N., Thorpe, H., Richards, J. & Marfell, A. (2020). Building cultural diversity in sport: a critical dialogue with Muslim women and sports facilitators, International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics, 12(4), 637-653, Available here: 10.1080/19406940.2020.1827006

Breakfast Show: Building Cultural Inclusion in Sport in Aotearoa

I was invited to speak on the Breakfast Show where I shared insights on building cultural inclusivity in sports, a project which I co-lead with Professor Holly Thorpe in collaboration with Sport NZ (Dr Justin Richards) and Sport Waikato (Dr Amy Marfell). In the interview, I was joined by Karate Athlete Mazlinah binte Haji Mohamad Noor and Archer Niely Sunkar who shared their experience as Muslim female athletes in Aotearoa. You can watch the full interview here.

'Show up': How to build inclusive sports communities for NZ's Muslim women

I along with Professor Holly Thorpe were interviewed by Asia New Zealand Foundation on our recent project on sporting experiences of Muslim women. Read it here.

Sport Nation Region: Sport and Cultural Citizenship in Oceania ICA 2020 panel

I had the opportunity to join a group of amazing scholars to speak about religious and cultural diversity and the experiences of Muslim women in sport and active recreation in Aotearoa New Zealand with Professor Holly Thorpe. Our discussion starts at 40:03, which can be found on YouTube here.

This panel focuses on the question of cultural citizenship (Rowe, 2004a, 2004b; Stevenson, 1997) and its relationship to sporting, national and regional identities. Cultural citizenship matters because it helps to determine who belongs, who is excluded, and who has ‘the right to know and speak’ in specific social and territorial settings (Miller, 2007: 35). Led by David Rowe, this panel uses the nexus of sport-nation-region to identify and analyse hierarchies of inclusion and exclusion in sport in Oceania.

Teen bolts into Muslim women’s global powerlist

The final installment of the series focusing on Muslim women in sport in Aotearoa by the LockerRoom. Go check it out here.

How sport and nature turned Ola’s life around

The third instalment of the series focusing on Muslim women in sport in Aotearoa by the LockerRoom. Read it here.

Teen footballer’s goal to be role model for Muslim girls

Check out part 2 of the series focusing on Muslim women in sport in Aotearoa by the LockerRoom. Read it here.

Swimmer leads change by keeping faith

One of the action items that came out of the “Building Cultural Inclusion in Sport’ workshop last month was increasing the visibilities of Muslim women in sport in Aotearoa. The Locker Room accepted that challenge to help ‘change the narrative’ through a series focusing on Muslim women in sport. Read the first piece here.

How to get more Muslim women involved in sport

Myself, Professor Holly Thorpe, and Huda Anas had an opportunity to talk about the important report that was released on July 24, 2020, the “Building Cultural Inclusion in Sport – Insights from Muslim Women in sport and active recreation” symposium and Huda’s experience as an athlete in Aotearoa. Have a listen.