Invited Lectures and Panel Discussions

"Teaching against Islamophobia: Lessons and Questions," panelist at the American Academy of Religion, San Diego, CA, November 24, 2019

"Confronting Islamophobia through Government Chaplaincy," American Academy of Religion, San Diego, CA, November 23, 2019

"Faith over Fear," invited presentation for Shoulder 2 Shoulder training event, Omaha, NE, November 2, 2019

"Presumed Guilty: Why We Shouldn't Ask Muslims to Condemn Terrorism," invited lecture at Shenandoah University, Winchester, VA, October 21, 2019

"Islamophobia and the Geopolitics of Representing Religion," invited presentation for the Mediating Religion Conference, sponsored by the University of Notre Dame, Washington, DC, October 18, 2019

"'Why Don't Muslims Condemn Terrorism?' Racist Scapegoating and Western Violence in an Age of Islamophobia," invited lecture at the University of Northern Iowa, Waterloo, IA, October 10, 2019

"Interfaith Etiquette in an Age of Islamophobia," invited lecture at the Southwestern Minnesota Synod Conference, St. Jospeh, MN, October 6, 2019

"Interfaith Responses to Islamophobia," invited lecturer and panelist at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, September 17, 2019

"Rethinking Our Response to Islamophobia," invited lecture at the University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, July 26, 2019

"Islamophobia and the Persistence of Religious Intolerance in the United States and Europe," invited presentation at the Religion and Tolerance workshop, hosted by the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, Houston, TX, April 26, 2019

"Presumed Guilty: Why We Shouldn't Ask Muslims to Condemn Terrorism," invited lecture at Virginia Wesleyan University, Virginia Beach, BA, April 11, 2019

"Presumed Guilty: Muslim Scapegoating in an Age of Terrorism," invited speaker at Coe College, Cedar Rapids, IA, April 2, 2019

"The Islamophobia Industry," invited plenary speaker for the Challenging Islamophobia Conference, sponsored by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, St. Paul, MN, March 28, 2019

"'Why Don't Muslims Condemn Terrorism?' Racist Scapegoating and Western Violence in an Age of Islamophobia," invited lecture at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, February 22, 2019

“Islamophobia and Xenophobia in the Context of Global Migration,” invited presentation at the Migration and Border Crossings Conference, co-sponsored by Emory University’s Center for the Study of Law and Religion and Columbia Theological Seminary, Atlanta, GA, February 9, 2019

"Why We Shouldn't Associate Muslims with Violence," invited speaker for the Catholic Parishes in Waterloo, Waterloo, IA, January 31, 2019

"Fear and Smear: Islam as the West's Bogeyman," invited speaker for the Reviving the Islamic Spirit Conference, Toronto, Canada, December 22, 2018

"Presumed Guilty: Why We Shouldn't Ask Muslims to Condemn Terrorism," invited lecture by the Muslim Education Trust, Portland OR, December 8, 2018

“The Sins of the Fathers: Erasing Christian Violence in the Age of ISIS,” invited lecture at Milligan College, Elizabethton, TN, November 13, 2018

"Assuming the Best of Our Muslim Neighbors," invited lecture at Emmanuel Christian Seminary, Elizabethton, TN, November 13, 2018

"Recalibrating Interfaith Approaches to Muslim Communities," invited lecture for the Building Bridges Awards, Islamic Resource Group, Minneapolis, MN, November 10, 2018   

“‘Why Don’t Muslims Condemn Terrorism?’ Racist Scapegoating and Western Violence in an Age of Islamophobia,” invited speaker for Phipps Lecture, Davis & Elkins College, Elkins, WV, November 1, 2018

“Presumed Guilty: Why We Shouldn’t Ask Muslims to Condemn Terrorism,” invited lecture at Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR, October 15, 2018 

“Asking Better Questions of Our Muslim Neighbors,” invited lecture for Islamic Day in Ohio, Springfield, OH, October 13, 2018 

“Impact of Islamophobia in Minnesota and Abroad: Stories of Resilience,” invited panelist for the Challenging Islamophobia Conference, sponsored by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Minneapolis, MN, May 10, 2018 

"The Professional Islamophobia Network: Manufacturing Anti-Muslim Hatred in the United States," invited lecture at the Risala Foundation, Houston, TX, April 13, 2018

"Political and Cultural Factors in the Rise of Islamophobia," invited lecture at the International Conference on Islamophobia, Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University, Istanbul, Turkey, April 7, 2018

"Countering Islamophobia: Guiding Principles for Allies of American Muslims," invited lecture for the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Forum on Religious Freedom, San Diego, CA, March 13, 2018

"The Rise of the Islamophobia Industry: Engineering Anti-Muslim Hatred in the United States," invited lecture at the Islamic Society of San Diego, San Diego, CA, March 12, 2018

"Teaching and Scholarship as Resistance in the Post-Truth Era," invited panelist, American Academy of Religion, Teaching Religion and Theology and Religious Reflection Units, Boston, MA, November 20, 2017

"Inside the State Department: Scholars Reflect on Working for the Government," invited panelist, American Academy of Religion, Applied Religious Studies and Public Understanding of Religion Committees, Boston MA, November 19, 2017

"Confronting Islamophobia: Equipping Scholars of Religion to Understand and Challenge Anti-Muslim Bigotry," workshop co-leader with Homayra Ziad, American Academy of Religion, Boston, MA, November 17, 2017

"Seeking the Muslim Martin Luther: Against Demands for an Islamic Reformation," Reformation Commemoration Symposium, Luther College, Decorah, IA, October 31, 2017

"Countering Islamophobia in Europe: The Obstacles and Opportunities Facing Religious Communities," invited lecture at the ELCA Association of Teaching Theologians Convocation, Chicago, IL, August 1, 2017

"Islamophobia and Foreign Affairs," invited lecture at the Foreign Service Institute, Arlington, VA, May 31, 2017

“Islamophobia in the United States and Germany,” invited speaker for press roundtable, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy, Berlin, Germany, May 10, 2017

“Portraying Muslims as the Enemy,” invited panelist at the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin, Germany, May 9, 2017

“Manufacturing Hate: Insights into the Islamophobia Industry in America,” invited lecture at the U.S. Consulate General, Hamburg, Germany, May 8, 2017

“Professional Islamophobia: The Engineering of Anti-Muslim Hatred in the United States,” invited lecture at Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA, April 30, 2017

“Beyond Fear: Addressing Islamophobia,” invited panelist for a webinar sponsored by Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, VA, April 27, 2017

“Something Old, Something New: Exploring the Historical and Political Factors Driving Islamophobia in America,” invited lecture at American University, Washington, DC, April 25, 2017

“Interfaith Hospitality in a World of Islamophobia,” invited lecture at Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC, March 23, 2017 

"Security Threats or Model Citizens? Refuting Stereotypes about Muslims and Terrorism in America," invited lecture for the National Executive Institute at the FBI Academy, Quantico, VA, March 21, 2017

"Rising Islamophobia in the United States: Causes and Consequences,” Al-Ghazali Lecture, Elmhurst College, Elmhurst, IL, March 12, 2017

"Islamophobia and Interfaith Engagement,” invited lecture at the Institute of Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies,” Baltimore, MD, February 7, 2017

“Islamophobia,” Salzman Lecture, Lewinsville Presbyterian Church, McLean, VA, January 22, 2017

"U.S. Attitudes toward Islam," invited lecture at Lenoir-Rhyne University, Hickory, NC, November 13, 2016

"Combating Islamophobia: A Lecture and Workshop for Clergy and Lay Leaders," invited lecture/workshop sponsored by the Diocese of Southern Ohio, Columbus, OH, November 11, 2016

"What Is Islamophobia? The Causes and Consequences of Anti-Muslim Bigotry in America," invited lecture at Penn State University, State College, PA, October 10, 2016

"Building Bridges: Confronting Islamophobia," invited lecture sponsored by the Interfaith Initiative of Centre County, State College, PA, October 9, 2016

"Where are the Moderate Muslims? Why Politicians and Journalists Should Rethink the Questions They Ask of Muslims," Franklin Fellow Speakers Series, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC, September 28, 2016

"No Place for Hate: Campuses Take the Lead," invited panelist at President Obama's Sixth Annual Interfaith Community Service Challenge, Gallaudet University, Washington, DC, September 22, 2016

"Islamophobia: What Are We Really Afraid Of?," invited keynote speaker at Peacestock, sponsored Veterans for Peace, Red Wing, MN, July 9, 2016

"What Is Driving Islamophobia?" and "Why We Shouldn't Ask Muslims to Condemn Terrorism," invited lectures at the New Melleray Abbey, Peosta, IA, June 16 and 17, 2016

"Interfaith Engagement and Complex Moral Issues," invited panelist at the Vocation of a Luther College Conference, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN, June 9, 2016

"Building Bridges: Confronting Islamophobia," invited lecture at the Basilica of St. Mary's, co-sponsored by Masjid An-Nur, Minneapolis, MN, April 3, 2016

"What Is Islamophobia? The Causes and Casualties of Anti-Muslim Bigotry in America," invited lectures at Century College, St. Paul, MN, and Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN, March 31, 2016

"What's Driving Islamophobia in America? Fear, Freedom, and the Responsibilities of Democracy," invited lecture at Wofford College, Spartanburg, SC, March 23, 2016

"Understanding and Combating Islamophobia: Building Bridges in Community," invited lecture at Wittenberg University, Springfield, OH, March 22, 2016

"Islamophobia: An Exploration of the West's Fear of Islam and Why This Matters," invited lectures at St. Thomas University and St. John's University, St. Paul and Collegeville, MN, March 2 and 3, 2016

"Islamophobia: What Are We Really Afraid Of?," H. Sheldon Smith Lecture, Elon University, Elon, NC, February 25, 2016

"Islamophobia: Understanding Anti-Muslim Sentiment in the West," invited lecture at Simpson College, Indianola, IA, February 18, 2016

"Why Do We Fear Our Muslim Neighbors?," invited lecture at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, February 14, 2016

"Islamophobia 101," invited lecture sponsored by the Northwest Islamic Community Center, St. Edward the Confessor Episcopal Church, the Blake School, and Wayzata Community Church, Wayzata, MN, January 23, 2016

"The Study of Religion and Responses to Terrorism: Paris, Beirut and Beyond," moderator of panel discussion, American Academy of Religion, Atlanta, GA, November 21, 2015

"What Is Islamophobia, and Why Should We Care?," invited lecture at Centre College, Danville, KY, November 10, 2015

“If I Am Only for Myself: Standing Up for the ‘Other’,” invited panelist for a discussion of religious bigotry sponsored by the Center on Religion, Culture & Conflict at Drew University, Madison, NJ, October 22, 2015

“‘Why Don’t Muslims Condemn Terrorism?’ The Anatomy of an Islamophobic Question,” invited lecture at Carroll University, Waukesha, WI, October 13, 2015

“Challenging Islamophobia: Some Practical and Impractical Suggestions for Overcoming Anti-Muslim Bigotry,” invited lecture and community discussion sponsored by the Milwaukee Muslim Women's Coalition, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, and the ELCA, Milwaukee, WI, September 18, 2015

“Exploring the Causes and Consequences of Islamophobia,” invited lecture and interfaith panel sponsored by the Milwaukee Muslim Women's Coalition, the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, and the ELCA, Milwaukee, WI, September 17, 2015

“The Fear of Islam,” invited panelist for the Meet the Author series at the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America, Rosemont, IL, September 5, 2015

“The Fear of Islam in the West,” invited lecture at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Arlington, VA, August 2, 2015

“Understanding the Fear of Islam,” invited lectures at NorthPark Presbyterian Church and Kessler Park United Methodist Church, Dallas, TX, May 31, 2015

"The Face of Muhammad or the Fear of Islam? Freedom of Expression, Islamophobia, and the Danish Cartoons," invited lecture at the Department of Scandinavian Studies, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, October 17, 2014

“Do We Really Need ‘Good Muslims’? The Dangers of Islamophilia for Islamophobia,” lecture sponsored by the Religion Forum at Luther College, Decorah, IA, March 18, 2014

“Islamophobia: Imagining the Muslim Enemy,” invited lecture for a colloquium sponsored by Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, TN, called “‘To Work Toward Mutual Understanding:’ The American-Muslim Experience and the Catholic Response,” October 22, 2013

“In Search of a Danish Islam: Exploring the Challenges of Muslim Identity and Integration in Contemporary Denmark,” invited lecture for the Danish American Heritage Society Conference, Des Moines, IA, October 12, 2013

“Islamophobia and the Targeting of Muslim Americans,” invited panelist for discussion of preemptive prosecutions of Muslim and Arab Americans, sponsored by the National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms, Decorah, IA, March 12, 2013

“A Closer Look at Anti-American Sentiment in the Muslim World,” invited panelist for discussion of Muslim protests in Middle East in the wake of an American-produced anti-Muslim film, sponsored by the Center for Religious Understanding at the University of Toledo, September 25, 2012

“Godless Europe v. a God-Blessed America? Making Sense of the Transatlantic Religious Divide,” invited lecture sponsored by the Institute in American Studies for Scandinavian/Nordic Educators,” Decorah, IA, July 17, 2012

“The Swiss Minaret Ban, the De-Islamization of Public Space, and the Ongoing Quest for a European Identity,” paper given at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Religion and Cities Consultation, San Francisco, CA, November 19, 2011

“Islamophobia and the Western Construction of the Muslim Enemy,” invited lecture sponsored by the Interfaith Student Association at Luther College, Decorah, IA, September 29, 2011

“What Is Driving the Anti-Muslim Sentiment in the U.S.?,” invited lecture sponsored by the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, Des Moines, IA, April 15, 2011

“Mosques, Minarets, and the Islamic Challenge to European Identity,” paper given at the Biennial Conference of the European Union Studies Association, Boston, MA, March 3, 2011

“Making Mountains Out of Minarets: The Newest Chapter in Europe’s Resistance to Islam,” invited lecture given at the J.M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies, Baylor University, Waco, TX, October 19, 2010

“Mosque Madness: What’s Going On Near Ground Zero?,” invited lecture sponsored by the Muslim Student Association and the Student Government Association at St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN, September 8, 2010

“The Ladies with the Lamps: Protestant Female Religious Communities and the Birth of the Modern Nursing Profession in Sweden,” paper given at the Baylor University Symposium on Faith and Culture, Secularization and Revival: The Fate of Religion in Modern Intellectual History, Waco, TX, October 9, 2009

“Retelling Modern European Religious History: The Narrative of Presence in Philip Jenkins’s God’s Continent,” paper given at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Religion in Europe Consultation, Chicago, IL, November 2, 2008

“Navigating the Public/Private Dichotomy: The Motherhouse System and the Construction of the Deaconess Vocation in Sweden,” paper given at the Boston College Biennial Conference on the History of Religion, Boston, MA, March 15, 2008

“Reexamining the Effects of Functional Differentiation on Religious Institutions: The Significance of the Swedish Deaconessate for Health Care and Nursing in the Nineteenth Century,” paper given at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion, Religion in Europe Consultation, San Diego, CA, November 18, 2007

“Liberating Historians from the Secularization Narrative: The Resilience of Religion in Modern Europe,” paper given at the Graduate Research Forum, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, April 6, 2007

“‘Sent from Home’: Reconciling the Callings of a Deaconess and a Woman in Nineteenth-Century Sweden,” paper given at the regional meeting of the Southeastern Commission for the Study of Religion, Women and Religion Section, Nashville, TN, March 17, 2007

“Swedish Pietism as a Form of Popular Religion, 1700–1727,” paper given at the summer conference of the Ecclesiastical History Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, England, July 22, 2004