Course Description

Instructor: Dr. Heidi Tauscher

Based upon recent events in Gaza and on our college campuses, there is no timelier topic for our collective study than Islamophobia. This 4-Part Series entitled Understanding and Disrupting Islamophobia will help participants understand this prejudice, learn its origins, and work to collaboratively disrupt anti-Muslim bigotry.

Part I: "What is Islamophobia?" will examine this prejudice and the Muslim people affected by it.

Part II: "Where Did This Hatred Arise?" will investigate the origins of this prejudice in Europe.

Part III: "When Did This Prejudice Appear in the U.S.?" will explore past and current biases within our own country.

Finally, in Part IV: "How Might We Overcome This Enmity?" we will work together to discern how we might overcome Islamophobia.

Bio:  Dr. Heidi Tauscher is the founder of Sacred Friends Interfaith, LLC whose mission is to create lasting interfaith friendships through collaborative learning and active healing of divisive community issues. Dr. Tauscher earned her Ph.D. in Religion: Ethics & Society and Master of Divinity from Emory University. She also holds a Juris Doctor from Wake Forest University and a Mediation Certificate from Harvard Law School’s Program for Lawyers. Heidi earned a B.A. with honors in International Relations from Rollins College, after completing foreign policy studies at American University in Washington, D.C. Upon graduation from law school, Heidi practiced law for many years in the State of Florida. She has served as Winter Park City Attorney, a Certified Mediator, and successfully represented clients in civil litigation, most notably before the Florida Supreme Court in Stefanos v. Rivera-Berrios, 673 So. 2d 12 (Fla. 1996). Heidi has taught law, public policy, ethics, and religion at Georgia State University, Emory University, Georgia Gwinnett College, and the University of Central Florida. Her honors include the ABA James Boskey National Essay Contest, Emory University’s Woodruff and Aquinas Fellowships, the Claude H. Thomas Award for Social Concerns, and the John Fenton Prize for her dissertation.