About Us
Bios
Akbar Ahmed
Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University in Washington, D.C., is considered “the world’s leading authority on contemporary Islam,” according to the BBC. He is a renowned author and award-winning film and documentary director. A former high commissioner of Pakistan to Great Britain, he has advised Prince Charles and met with President George W. Bush on Islam. Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization, his latest book, was published in 2007 by the Brookings Institution Press.
Other biographical details:
• visiting professor at Harvard and Cambridge universities and at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton.
• recipient of the Professor of the Year Award for Washington, D.C., from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education
Team Members
Craig Considine
Craig M. Considine, 23, from Needham, Massachusetts, is a film director and research assistant for Ambassador Akbar Ahmed at American University, Washington D.C. His work has been aired on BBC World News America, CNN, and local ABC networks across the country. His scholarly articles have been published in newspapers in both the United States and Pakistan. He holds an MSc from the University of London and a BA in International Relations from American University, both in Politics and International Relations. His areas of interest include U.S. foreign policy, Islam, and American society. After making the documentary for this project, plans to pursue a PhD.
Madeeha Hameed
Madeeha Hameed, 21, was born in Islamabad, Pakistan. After spending her elementary school years in Germany, she returned with her family to Pakistan. In 2001, her family moved to the United States for her higher education. She is currently a senior at the College of William and Mary, double majoring in international relations and religious studies.
Jonathan Hayden
Jonathan Hayden, 30, from Huntsville, Alabama, has worked with Ahmed since 2005 as his assistant. Hayden was a research assistant on the previous research project, which resulted in Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization, traveling to Malaysia and Indonesia. He has published extensively in newspapers and journals. He received his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Alabama.
Frankie Martin
Frankie Martin, 25, from Baltimore, Maryland, is an Ibn Khaldun Chair Research Fellow at American University’s School of International Service. In 2006, he graduated magna cum laude from American University with a BA in history. His research interests include Islamic-Western relations, religion and culture in Africa, and American foreign policy. His articles, published by the Guardian and Huffington Post, among others, have been widely circulated. Martin was a research assistant on Ahmed’s previous research project, which resulted in Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization, traveling to Jordan, Pakistan, and India.
Hailey Woldt
Hailey Woldt, 22, from Dallas, Texas, is an Ibn Khaldun Research Fellow at American University and a research associate at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service with a certificate in Muslim-Christian understanding and a degree in culture and politics. She traveled to eight Muslim countries for fieldwork and contributed to the book Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization by Akbar Ahmed. She has published extensively in newspapers and journals and has lectured at several universities and think tanks.
Ken Haney said,
October 18, 2008 @ 8:33 am
For a contrast to the story of the Somalis in Grand Island you
should contact Tyson Foods to hear how they deal with
religious accomodation.
Mohammad Abdul Qadir, said,
November 19, 2008 @ 10:54 am
Good Team ! I look forward to some real insights to understand America from the eyes of a muslim and a Pakistani alongwith such a wonderful team.
Please include how muslim immigrants from Pakistan are faring in a post 9/11 America.
Thank you !
Steve Gilliland said,
February 9, 2009 @ 9:29 pm
I could not access the article about your experiences in Salt Lake City. Where can I read about your experiences there?
Jay Atkinson said,
February 9, 2009 @ 9:54 pm
Your little experiment angers me. You are going around telling America how normal Muslims are. How they are good people. I challenge you. Take your little group of American Muslims to any Muslim nation. Encourage them to move and talk and act with the same freedom that they can here in the United States. Let them dress in a manner the the locals may find shocking. Let them talk about a religion that the majority of the people around them does not adhere to. Then please write in your blog how wonderful and normal it is to be a Muslim. The reason that you can have you little experiment in the US is because we are a Christian nation. We are tolerate. Even of idiots. Please try a similar experiment is any of the peaceful muslim countries of this world. Wait. That’s right. There are no peaceful Muslim nations. Sorry, I do not know what I was thinking.
Ahmedinajad said,
July 11, 2009 @ 12:48 pm
The religion of Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad is ISLAM. We are going to dominate by our Weapon of Mass Dickstruction by Bonking our way to demographic dominance while your society/culture is riddled with single parent families, Homos and Lesbies, aids and abortions – is that our fault?
The Russian army by year 2015 will be majority Muslim because most of the current Russian soldiers are lying with their faces in the puddles of their own vomit – drunk. Lets nuke Russia before the ISLAMICS get hold of the weapons.
Steve Gilliland said,
February 9, 2009 @ 10:34 pm
Using your “Search” option, I found your blogs on the Mormon sites you visited. Thank you for your project. I look forward to reading your book. I am the Director of Muslim Relations for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Southern California. I wish that I could have met you when you were here. My wife and I serve to help build bridges of understanding between our two communities. We always feel welcome and at home among our Muslim friends. You may find the following article interesting: http://articles.latimes.com/2008/apr/02/local/me-morlims2 . Please continue your quest for interfaith understanding.
Hena said,
February 10, 2009 @ 12:11 pm
Asalaamu Alaikum and Hello!
I stumbled across this story on CNN, and I am now going through your blog. This is such a great and inspiring idea! Makes me feel a little more hopeful of the notion of living in an American society of tolerance and peace. Sharing stories, personal experiences and great food definitely leads to ultimately understanding each other. Good Luck!
steve said,
February 10, 2009 @ 12:29 pm
Fascinating concept and really opened my eyes to what I was hoping existed here in the US, when I watched the video of Arab Al.
I work for the TSA and I have a subordinate that converted to Islam through marriage and she wears the head covering with her uniform, and aside from casual glance, she has never reported any mistreatment from passengers.
I am interested however, in a different perspective, would an american female dressed in the western faction find the same kind of freedom and open-minded attitude say in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?
Christopher Black(SSG, US Army) said,
February 10, 2009 @ 8:39 pm
Interesting Study… My family lived in Arab (Arad), AL, until I was deployed to Iraq in 2006. We now live in Southern Mississippi. Originally from Huntsville, AL, I had always “heard” and “joked” about the stereotypical Arab, AL resident as racist as well… however, after marrying my wife and living there for a number of years, I also learned I had been misled by pre-1980s stories. The residents of Arab are fantastic, even if some of the elder populace remain entrenched in the past feelings. I believe, like other people commenting in this blog, that people in Arab, AL are more welcoming to outsiders than northerners are of southerners, and surely more acceptable than most Islamic nations are of westerners. As a soldier in Iraq, I lived and worked among the members of an Iraqi Police Station for an entire year. We were treated like brothers by the Iraqi Security Force personnel and I built some rather interesting relationships with many Islamic persons, but during missions within the city and dealing with the local populace, most were kind… but distant upon approach (except for the children). I do not blame them… most citizens in the Islamic nations have been told since birth, “westerners are evil” (as I have been told by my Iraqi brothers). We (my platoon & our Iraqi counterparts), serving together against the Global War on Terror, took the time necessary to learn about one another, build a bond while fighting insurgents, and discussed issues most never take the time to discover. If members of all nations were placed in a situation to which I have been apart compassion for each other will break down the walls of “the unknown”, often referred to as “prejudice” by people who don’t know any better. I now work with Islamic role players, assisting out training lanes on a deployment post. I enjoy every opportunity to look into the eyes and talk with them, which helps me remember the patriots of Iraq I worked so closely with during my deployment. If you ask them, each “Arabic role player” feels honored to serve the US, (their new home) by serving those of us who have lived in a secure home, enjoyed amenities beyond understanding to most living in the Middle East, and lived without true conflict all of our lives. Until people experience life in an Arabic nation (even as limited as I have), you can never understand the truth behind how similar we are in the world. So, if you heard Arab, AL is a racist place, perhaps you should consider the source.
Margo Tone said,
February 12, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
I studied Islam years ago and was troubled by the fact that the Koran has many references to the duty of all Muslims toward jihad. Also, I could never get past the story of Muhammed and his child bride which he consumated when she was still a child. I turned from my studies and interest in becoming a Muslim due to the innapropriateness and pervision of it. Thank you.
Timothy Stinson said,
February 15, 2009 @ 2:28 am
I whole heartedly applaud the efforts and courage of everyone who has participated in this project. Since September 11, 2001 the images of Muslims in our news media and as we’ve seen during the course of this election; exclusively negative. As a result, in many parts of this country it has not only become acceptable, but often times encouraged to make hateful or derogatory comments about Muslims and Islam as indicated by some of the postings on this blog. This has also resulted in an increasing number of physical and verbal assaults on members of the Muslim community and their families, as well as Masjids and Muslim – owned businesses. Unfortunately, many of those who harbor negative views on Islam have used this sentiment to shape or influence U.S Middle East foriegn policy and justify atrocities committed at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay or practices such as rendition or the establishment of secret prisons. As a retired Navy Hospital Corpsman, I am curious as to whether or not this project included members of our Armed Forces? The reason that I ask is that my conversion to Islam took place at Marine Corps Base, Camp Foster in Okinawa, Japan in 1996. Our Masjid was comprised of members from all branches, including our Imam who was Active Duty Air Force. To date, I have not seen or heard any coverage of Muslims who have or are currently serving in our Armed Forces. Again hats off to the participants in this project.
Unity said,
April 23, 2009 @ 6:35 am
Hey guys,
I’ve just watched your slot with Riz Khan on Al-Jazeera’s Youtube channel.
It’s a fantastic job you’re doing so the least I could do is stop by and give you some words of encouragement.
Thank you.
Cracking the Media « CONSIDINE said,
April 23, 2009 @ 6:11 pm
[...] a member of the Journey into America team, I had an amazing opportunity to appear on Al Jazeera English. I thought I answered [...]
Hale said,
May 3, 2009 @ 2:45 am
Thanks for your project. I’m muslim. People know us “terrorist”. Your project show us only human. And we are grateful because of your project. Please try; everyone to hear this project. Let Allah be your help…
bayram said,
May 7, 2009 @ 12:47 am
Thanks Hailey Woldt… Thanks… Turkey…
ahmet salfay said,
June 4, 2009 @ 3:49 am
Good project with such a wonderful team and of course results should be perfect.Actually this project seem easy but i dont think that much easy.Nice work Spielberg of the team i expecting from you bigger works i mean this is very nice opportunity for you i hope it will be very good knowledge for you.And also thanks to other members of the team thanks to Hailey, Jonathan, Madeeha, Frankie
First Major Publication on Film « CRAIG CONSIDINE said,
July 1, 2009 @ 8:56 am
[...] Major Publication on Film | Jul 01st 2009 Thanks to Jonathan Hayden for writing a great article about the film and the journey for the Omaha World Herald. He [...]
Dr. AFM said,
October 4, 2009 @ 11:54 am
Assalamo Alaykum wa Rahmat-Allah:
From where can we purchase the DVD “Journey into America”?
Thank you very much
MSK
afmoffice@gmail.com