Name – Dr Kawtar Najib
Position – Lecturer in Human Geography, Social & Spatial Inequalities, Department of Geography and Planning
Group name – Power, Space and Cultural Change & Geographic Data Science Lab
Joined University of Liverpool – 2022
Born – Besançon, France
PhD – University of Franche-Comté, France
What is your research about?
My research seeks to understand the geographies of inequality and discrimination using mixed methods. My area of expertise focuses on Islamophobia and its spatialization, but I explore more broadly issues of social and spatial justice, including segregation, racism, sexism, and austerity.
What or who first inspired you to be interested in your research subject?
I came to geography somewhat by accident, but I was always touched by issues of inequality and injustice, certainly because I could see them directly with my own eyes. Coming from French working-class neighbourhoods where most of the residents come from postcolonial immigration, I have always been sensitive to the spatial marginalization of religious minority groups, which is a topic I decided to study in my Masters through studies of Muslim and Buddhist populations.
Then for my doctorate, I wanted to study the phenomena of urban segregation in three cities located in the East of France which is where I come from. I also had the opportunity to obtain a Marie Curie Sklodowska Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by the European Commission which allowed me to work on the SAMA (Spaces of Anti-Muslim Acts) project.
The starting point for my strong interest in my research topic comes from the first discussions in France in 2003 about the law against conspicuous religious symbols in public spaces which primarily prohibited young Muslim girls from wearing the veil in French schools. I found this law, which still exists today, so unfair that I really wanted to study Islamophobia from a geographical perspective.
What are you most proud of achieving during your research career so far?
I am most proud of writing my published book on ‘Spatialized Islamophobia’ because I was able to develop a new concept that highlights the global process of Islamophobia by detailing three levels of scale: i) global and national Islamophobia; ii) urban and infra-urban Islamophobia; iii) embodied and emotional Islamophobia, and show the connection between the macrospace of the globe and the microspace of the body.
In the book I explain the importance of recognizing space in Islamophobia studies, as well as Islamophobia in Geography. But all these different levels of scale may be of interest to different readers and disciplines. I also explain the importance of combining quantitative and qualitative data because without such a combination, I would never have been able to develop this concept. Finally, I use self-reflexivity, sometimes in a very personal way, to answer tough questions that may have hindered the study of ‘Spatialized Islamophobia’.
What techniques and equipment do you use to conduct your research?
To conduct my research, I like to use a mixed approach which combines existing quantitative analyzes to first bring out the general trends of a phenomenon with qualitative evidence to zoom in on more specific issues. This approach always brings complementary results because quantitative measures can rarely capture the detailed aspects of people’s everyday lives, and similarly some qualitative realities are almost impossible to grasp on a larger scale.
I mainly use factorial analysis, classification and statistical modelling to highlight major spatial and population dynamics as well as field surveys and individual interviews to better examine people’s spatial behaviours, logics and representations. All these different materials allow me to build quantitative and qualitative maps.
Which other subjects are important for your research?
The struggle for greater equity and justice is a struggle that aspires to the emancipation of all groups of individuals targeted because of their race, gender, religion, sexuality, etc. Thus, what is really important for my research is the study of structural and individual systems of oppression and domination against personal characteristics.
All these issues of injustice are unacceptable and show complex relationships between space, people and power. Important issues await us, such as the rise of poverty, the normalization of extremist movements and the dehumanization of certain groups of people which are important to study and combat if we want to live in more inclusive societies.
What is the key to running a successful research group?
For me the most important thing is being authentic in your research and the way you approach it. Just be honest about who you are, what you want to do, and what you bring to your Department, the research community, and to the world. I think that when there is a real critical - and even radical - engagement in your research that goes beyond career progression, then it makes a clear difference.
If you are passionate about your research, you will therefore naturally achieve great things and be exactly where you should be. So, the idea is to work with ethics, determination, humility, hope and courage to try to make an impact on real-world problems.
What impact is your research having outside of academia?
When studying Islamophobia, there is always this first problem of finding detailed and reliable data. The European Islamophobia Report, of which I am a contributor for the French case, shows this glaring lack on a European scale. Thus, our scientific work provides new knowledge and new quantitative and qualitative data with maps locating anti-Muslim acts and interviews highlighting the stories of victims of Islamophobia. This contribution is of great interest to Muslim and anti-racist NGOs, as well as to practitioners and policymakers – particularly those working in public education, training and local public transport.
European institutions such as the European Parliament and some MEPs also have access to my work, particularly on youth at risk and on the European Islamophobia Report. The UK Parliament and specifically the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims have also received our expert advice in collaboration with my colleagues at Newcastle University, which has been included in their special report proposing a working definition of Islamophobia.
In December 2023, I was invited to the House of Commons to present my book in a panel discussion on ‘Spatialized Islamophobia’ partly composed of MPs including Naz Shah MP and chaired by Dr Rupa Huq MP. I am also often invited by various media to discuss my research in the printed press as well as on TV and podcasts.
How do you plan to develop your research in the future?
There are many areas of research that I am trying to develop. Just to mention one: I plan to study spatialized Islamophobia and its clear connection with current global issues related to racism, belonging, citizenship, dehumanization, spaces of refuge and liberal regimes.
What problem would you like to solve in the next 10 years through your research?
Unfortunately, I think the issues of inequality, injustice, hierarchy and exclusion will never be fully solved in the world as it is today. Therefore, my goal is to reduce Islamophobia and move towards a society that fights for more recognition and anti-discrimination.
To do this, I would like to help highlight the dignity of minority groups by hearing their local stories and connect them to global challenges for more justice regulation. The protection of minority groups is a priority that must be considered and solved by the highest authorities, and their inclusion must be a major condition for considering a society as democratic and egalitarian.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in research?
I would advise anyone starting out to think of your research as something that has nothing to do with a career. Don’t make decisions to develop your career. Instead, make the right decisions solely for the sake of research with impact that will make real change for the people who need it most and for their living spaces.
More specifically, for people from the margins, my advice is: don’t be afraid to be outside of the mainstream and what people expect from you. I know that sometimes you have to work harder to get certain opportunities, but this marginalization can also be a strength. So, let’s help each other, develop our own networks and share our experiences that will show that we are not alone in this situation.
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