Jauhara Ferguson

Jauhara Ferguson serves as Assistant Professor of Religion: African American Religions within the Department of Religious Studies, specializing in the intersections of religion, race, and immigration in Black communities with emphasis on Islam's role in identity formation and social dynamics in the United States.

Education:

• PhD in Sociology, Rice University
• BA in International Studies and Religious Studies, Spelman College

Her research critically examines how Islamic identity shapes Black experiences across marriage practices, religious discrimination, hate crimes, policing, and health disparities. Current work investigates U.S. Black Muslims' marital choices and identity development within Muslim American communities, revealing complex negotiations of Black and Muslim identities against broader societal structures.

Publication trends show sustained focus on religion-race-policy intersections, with recurring analysis of anti-Muslim sentiment, identity politics, and systemic discrimination. Recent works track polarization in anti-Muslim policies (2025), American identity construction among Black Muslims (2024), and connections between religious hate crimes and policing perceptions (2022-2023), establishing a cohesive research trajectory centered on marginalized religious communities in America.