Craig Considine (academic)

Last updated

Craig Michael Considine
Headshot of Dr. Craig Considine.jpg
Born1985
Needham, Massachusetts, United States
Nationality American
Alma mater American University (BA)

Royal Holloway, University of London (MSc)

Trinity College Dublin (PhD)
Occupation(s) Christian commentator, scholar and author on Islam
Website https://drcraigconsidine.com

Craig Michael Considine (born 10 June 1985) is an American author, scholar, and a faculty member of the Department of Sociology at Rice University. [1] Considine has written six books on Islamic studies, and on interfaith dialogue and Christian-Muslim relations. In 2020 he received the Sarah A. Burnett Teaching Prize in the Social Sciences from Rice University. [2] He is a Roman Catholic. [3]

Contents

Life and career

Birth and family

Craig Considine was born in 1985 and spent his childhood in Needham, Massachusetts. He is of Irish and Italian descent. [3] As a college student, he wanted to study Arabic 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 trap.’ [4] 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 was hit, his class was told that it was a terrorist attack. 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. [5]

Education

After graduating from Needham High School in 2003, Considine attended American University, where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts in International relations. As an undergraduate student, he worked closely under Professor Akbar Ahmed, the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies in the School of International Service. Ahmed viewed Considine as one of his best students. According to Considine, his relationship with his professor helped him see the importance of interfaith dialogue within the Abrahamic tradition. Later, the two would collaborate on the Journey into America documentary film. [5]

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. He graduated in 2008, then joined Ahmed to work on the documentary. [5]

In 2011, Considine entered Trinity College Dublin to pursue a PhD in the Department of Sociology. [1] 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. [6] 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. [7] Considine graduated in 2015.

After finishing his PhD, Considine moved to Houston, where he took a job as a lecturer in Rice University's Department of Sociology, where he continues to teach. [1] His classes focus on self-directed learning and experiential learning. In previous years, Considine provided no assigned readings nor traditional lectures during his class sessions. Instead, he invited guest speakers to share their expertise and encouraged students to ask their own questions. [8]

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, former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, and Reverend Jesse Jackson. [9]

Considine obtained funding for Ahmed's film from Dar Al Islam, an institution in New Mexico for Islamic education. [5]

Considine filmed Ahmed's group as they interviewed American citizens across 75 different cities and 100 mosques. [9] Considine also edited the film. Some of his footage was used on BBC World News America and CNN. [5]

The team conducted a social experiment in Arab, Alabama. They dressed one of their female team members in a full abaya . To their surprise, the people of Arab were kind and accommodating to the woman. Throughout their travels, they reported experiencing warmth and hospitality from locals of different cities. [9] [10] [11]

Ahmed and his team interviewed some people who thought that Muslims could not be Americans. They also interviewed American Muslims who were proud to be citizens of the United States. [5]

Journey into America premiered at the Islamic Society of North America conference in Washington, D.C., on July 4, 2009. The documentary was directed by Considine. [5] Ahmed also wrote a book on his experiences entitled Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam. [12]

Islam, Race, and Pluralism in the Pakistani Diaspora

Considine's first book, published in 2017 was about what he referred to as ‘Pakphobia’ or the aversion to Pakistan in the Irish and American context. He interviewed over 40 people and said that their Pakphobia was because they saw Pakistanis as Muslims, in whom they saw a perceived threat of radical Islam. [4]

Muslims in America: Examining the Facts

In his second book, Considine documented the lives, actions, and beliefs of American Muslims. The book answers 31 different questions relating to Muslims in American society. He said that Muslims condemn the violent actions of extremists and examined contributions to interfaith dialogue. [13]

The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View

Another book is about the life and influence of Muhammad, whom Considine says is misunderstood. He offers a Christian perspective on Islamic beliefs, so that Islamic Theology can be appreciated by non-Muslims. [14] He said that Muhammad was anti-racist. Considine days that a ‘civil nation state,’ is a community that transcends ethnic, tribal and religious boundaries. In such a community, people from diverse backgrounds can live under one government. [3] [15]

Works

Books

Journal articles

Other media

Other Engagements

Considine has been a guest in international interviews, primarily in Al Jazeera features. [35] [36]

In 2012, he was a guest speaker for an event by SOAS University London that highlighted his work in Journey into America. [37]

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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  2. ↑ Passwaters, Arie (April 28, 2020). "Faculty, staff honored for excellence in teaching, mentoring, service". Rice University News and Media Relations. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
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