Laurier expert alert: National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia

Jan. 27, 2023
For Immediate Release

WATERLOO — January 29 is the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia, marking six years since the shooting at the mosque at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City that took the lives of six people and seriously injured 19 others. The day honours the victims and expresses solidarity with the survivors of this tragedy.

The following list includes Laurier experts who are available to speak at this time but does not represent the full breadth of expertise that exists at our institution. For a more comprehensive inventory of our faculty researchers, please consult the Experts at Laurier database.

Mariam Pirbhai is a professor of English and Film Studies at Laurier. Her most recent novel is called Isolated Incident, where she gives voice to Canadian Muslim communities confronted by Islamophobia. Pirbhai is an expert on postcolonial studies, the literatures of the Caribbean and South Asian diasporas, and creative writing. Her research interests include the impact and legacies of European imperialism, transnational and diasporic identities, multiculturalism and social justice issues as they impact migrant or diasporic communities. Contact: mpirbhai@wlu.ca​ 

Selda Sezen is an adjunct faculty professor and an expert on acculturation, immigrant and refugees, Muslim mothers and culturally sensitive parenting in Canada. She recently completed research on the impact of the Muslim faith on Muslim mothers’ parenting practices and the experience of immigrant Muslim mothers' parenting in Canada. These studies contribute to the literature on culturally and spiritually diverse parenting practices and provide a cultural and spiritual perspective for psychotherapists, social workers and healthcare professionals who work for the well-being of a growing number of Muslims in Canada. Contact: ssezen@wlu.ca 

Meena Sharify-Funk is an associate professor in the Faculty of Arts and an expert on contemporary Muslim thought and identity, particularly in modern Muslim engagement with classical debates in Islamic intellectual history and recent developments in Western thought and culture. Her research interests include debates about the status of women in the Muslim world, transnational networking among Muslim activists, the construction of contemporary North American Muslim identities, and Islamic mysticism’s impact on Muslim social values. Contact: msharifyfunk@wlu.ca

Jasmin Zine is a professor of Sociology and Religion and Culture at Laurier and an expert on critical Muslim studies and Islamophobia, as well as anti-racism. Her most recent study explores the lives of Canadian Muslim youth belonging to the 9/11 generation as they navigate the fraught times of the global war on terror, focusing on the toll that contemporary manifestations of Islamophobia and anti-Muslim racism take on Muslim communities, especially youth. Contact: jzine@wlu.ca