Blog Task 2: Faith

Faith is rarely experienced in isolation. Rather, it intersects with race, gender, class, and other identity markers, often shaping the way individuals navigate the world and are perceived within it. This intersectional complexity can both deepen belonging and heighten marginalisation, depending on context. The resources provided highlight how religion is not just a private belief system but a social identity entangled with structures of power and prejudice.

In his TED talk, “Is Religion Good or Bad? (This is a Trick Question),” Kwame Anthony Appiah challenges binary understandings of religion. He suggests that faith traditions are diverse and evolving, shaped by culture and history as much as by doctrine. This idea is crucial when considering how religion interacts with other identities. For example, two people may both identify as Muslim, but their experience of Islam will differ significantly based on gender, geography, or racial identity. This experience difference becomes more problematic when looking to design creative curriculums and draft lesson plans that need to challenge and provoke a group of diverse university-aged learners. 

This theme is echoed in Homa Jawad’s article on Islam, Women, and Sport. She discusses how visibly Muslim women — particularly those who wear the hijab — encounter structural barriers in sports, not necessarily due to Islamic teachings, but because of cultural assumptions and systemic exclusion. For these women, gender and religious visibility intersect to create unique challenges. The desire to participate in public life and express faith is often met with suspicion or outright discrimination according to Jawad, especially in Western contexts where Islamophobia remains a pressing concern.

Similarly, Reki’s journal article on Religious Identity and Epistemic Injustice introduces the idea that religious individuals, particularly from minority faiths, often experience a kind of knowledge-based marginalisation. Their insights or worldviews may be dismissed in academic or public discourse. This exclusion is compounded when individuals are also marginalised along racial or class lines. A working-class Black Christian student, for instance, may not only face racial or economic biases but also assumptions that their faith is anti-intellectual or incompatible with liberal academic spaces. In my experience, this kind of assumption is rife within creative education which prides itself on being progressive and forward-thinking but on the whole cannot hold two ideas as both simultaneously conflicting but both worthy. 

The Trinity University video further illustrates these tensions in educational contexts. It shows how students can feel ‘othered’ in classrooms when discussions around religion (or race) are handled insensitively or with bias. One student describes the discomfort of being treated as a spokesperson for their entire religion, rather than being allowed to exist as a complex individual. This idea is interesting and is explored further in Rowan Williams Reith Lecture, where he discusses the freedom to and freedom from, and ideas around the freedom to practice a religion without discrimination and the limitations of this statement. 

In my own teaching context at UAL, these dynamics are certainly present. UAL’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion data show that many students identify with minority faiths, and may also come from racialised or working-class backgrounds. I’ve observed that these students can feel isolated during projects or critiques, particularly when themes challenge or ignore religious values. Ensuring inclusive practices — such as respecting prayer times, acknowledging religious holidays in scheduling, and allowing space for faith-informed creative expression — is essential. But beyond logistics, the deeper challenge lies in fostering an environment where faith is not viewed as incompatible with creativity or critical inquiry.

The university sector in the UK has made moves towards visible inclusivity, spaces in which a religious student can pray are common, but true inclusive action is still lacking. Openly discussing and including faith groups and creating spaces where diverse opinions are discussed openly and bravely without a ‘safe space’ agenda stifling challenging thoughts is paramount. 

Understanding the intersections of identity — where faith meets race, gender, class — helps educators avoid tokenism and instead nurture genuinely inclusive learning spaces. Listening, learning, and being open to challenges are essential steps in that journey.

Art and design education is often rooted in values of experimentation, disruption, and self-expression, but these same principles can pose challenges for students whose identities are shaped by religious beliefs and practices. One of the most significant tensions arises when creative expectations conflict with personal values. For example, projects or classes that involve nudity, sexuality, or critique of religious symbols—common in life drawing, art history, or critical theory—can create discomfort for students whose faith traditions emphasise modesty or reverence. In such instances, students may feel conflicted, unsure whether they are allowed to opt-out or voice concerns without being penalised academically or socially.

Another issue is the lack of representation of religious perspectives in art curricula. Faith-based art practices, particularly those from non-Western or non-Christian traditions, are often absent or marginalised. As a result, students may struggle to see their values reflected in what is considered legitimate or contemporary artistic practice. This lack of visibility can imply that spiritual or religiously inspired work is somehow less critical, less intellectual, or less valid—discouraging students from exploring faith through their creative work.

Faith-related challenges also include stereotyping and epistemic injustice, especially for students from racialised or marginalised communities. For example, visibly Muslim students may face subtle or overt Islamophobic assumptions as outlined in Homa Jawads work, that they are conservative, repressed, or intellectually rigid. Meanwhile, Christian students—particularly those from working-class or rural backgrounds—may feel dismissed or judged in progressive academic environments where religion is sometimes associated with intolerance or anti-intellectualism. When students express ideas or values informed by their faith, their perspectives may be excluded from critical discourse, leading to feelings of invisibility or invalidation.

Practical institutional barriers can further complicate matters. Studio schedules, critiques, and deadlines often conflict with religious obligations. Students who attend Friday prayers, observe the Sabbath, or fast during Ramadan may struggle with energy levels, availability, or a sense of being out of sync with the rhythm of studio life. Academic calendars don’t always align with major religious holidays, placing students in the position of having to choose between faith and academic requirements. These issues are rarely addressed unless students advocate for themselves, which can be daunting in an environment where religion is not openly discussed.

In addition, students of faith—especially those from immigrant or first-generation backgrounds—may also experience cultural tensions between familial expectations and the values promoted in art school. The pursuit of an artistic career can be seen as incompatible with religious or cultural norms that prioritise stability, modesty, or communal responsibility. Students may feel torn between personal ambition and cultural loyalty, with few support systems in place to help them navigate these conflicts. While not always true this can result in internal conflicts for the student that create a hesitation to explore and create freely. 

Lastly, many staff members feel ill-equipped to address faith-related concerns. There may be anxiety around saying the wrong thing, leading to avoidance of religious topics altogether. Without training or confidence, tutors might overlook faith-based needs, fail to intervene when microaggressions occur, or miss opportunities to include religious perspectives in discussion or critique.

Addressing these challenges requires more than logistical accommodations; it calls for a cultural shift in which faith is recognised as a meaningful part of identity, not an obstacle to creativity. Staff training, curriculum diversification, and open dialogue are key to fostering a truly inclusive art school environment—one where students are empowered to bring their whole selves, including their spirituality, into their creative education.

Reference List

Williams, R., 2022. 2. Freedom of Worship – The Reith Lectures. [podcast] BBC Radio 4. Available at: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/2-freedom-of-worship/id318705261?i=1000589198059 [Accessed 15 May 2025].

Appiah, K.A., 2014. Is religion good or bad? (This is a trick question). YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2et2KO8gcY [Accessed 15 May 2025].

Jawad, H., 2022. Islam, women and sport: The case of visible Muslim women. [online] Religion and Global Society, LSE Blogs. Available at: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/religionglobalsociety/2022/09/islam-women-and-sport-the-case-of-visible-muslim-women/ [Accessed 15 May 2025].

Reki, J., 2023. Religious identity and epistemic injustice: An intersectional account. Hypatia, 38(4), pp.779–800. Available via UAL Moodle.

Trinity University, 2016. Challenging race, religion, and stereotypes in the classroom. YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CAOKTo_DOk [Accessed 15 May 2025].

University of the Arts London (UAL), n.d. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) data and reports. [online] University of the Arts London. Available at: https://www.arts.ac.uk/about-ual/equality-diversity-and-inclusion [Accessed 15 May 2025].

Ahmed, S., 2012. On Being Included: Racism and Diversity in Institutional Life. Durham, NC: Duke University Press.

Baker, C., 2019. Theology, Religion and Higher Education: Theological Perspectives, Public Issues, and Spirituality in Higher Education. London: Bloomsbury Academic.

Modood, T., 2007. Multiculturalism: A Civic Idea. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Mirza, H.S., 2015. Decolonizing Higher Education: Black Feminism and the Intersectionality of Race and Gender. Journal of Feminist Scholarship, 7(1), pp.1–12. Available at: https://www.jfsonline.org/issue-7-fall-2014-decolonizing-knowledge/mirza/

Nash, M., 2001. Spirituality, Ethics and Care: Some Preliminaries for Art and Design Education. International Journal of Art & Design Education, 20(2), pp.138–147. doi:10.1111/1468-5949.00264.

Pew Research Center, 2017. Europe’s Growing Muslim Population. [online] Pew Research Center. Available at: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2017/11/29/europes-growing-muslim-population/ [Accessed 15 May 2025].Shillito, M., 2022. Religious Literacy in Art and Design Education: Making Room for the Sacred. International Journal of Education through Art