Nausheen Husain

Nausheen Husain is an Assistant Professor in the Magazine, News and Digital Journalism department at Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication. She is a tenure-track faculty member specializing in data journalism, civil liberties issues, and coverage of Muslim communities in the context of the 'War on Terror.' As a 2023-2025 Lender Center for Social Justice faculty fellow, she leads research examining American news coverage of post-9/11 security infrastructures and their impact on Muslim communities.

Her research interests focus on the intersection of data journalism and underrepresented communities, particularly examining how surveillance, incarceration, and civil liberties issues affect Muslim Americans. She investigates how media coverage shapes public understanding of 'War on Terror' infrastructures, including communication management units, FBI stings targeting young Muslim men, and surveillance operations in Muslim neighborhoods. Her work emphasizes using data analysis and documents-focused reporting to bolster stories about civil rights issues and inequities.

Husain's recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on civil liberties, incarceration systems, and the impacts of security policies on marginalized communities. Her investigative work often employs FOIA requests and data analysis to uncover patterns in prison conditions, surveillance practices, and policy implementation. She has developed expertise in using R and Python for data parsing, Datawrapper for visualization, and MAXQDA for research-based data analysis.

Scientific Awards:

• 2023-2025 Lender Center for Social Justice faculty fellow

Husain actively mentors students in data journalism practices and has incorporated Newhouse students into investigative projects, such as the analysis of Muslims affected by the 2017 Muslim Ban. Her academic research connects with practical journalism applications, focusing on how data can be used to cover underrepresented communities while maintaining ethical standards. She frequently speaks about news coverage of the 'War on Terror,' data journalism techniques, and the limitations of using data in reporting.

Husain leads projects including 'Islam For Reporters,' which tracks anti-Muslim hate crime data and provides resources on Islam-related terminology, and 'Driving Force,' an investigation into New York state police vehicle crashes. Her approach combines technical data skills with deep community engagement, particularly with Muslim communities affected by security policies.