Professor Dr. Leila Tarakji

Biography

Leila Tarakji is an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Michigan State University. Her research and teaching focus on Islam and Muslim Studies, with a particular interest in the lived experiences of Muslims in America. She is a core faculty member of the Muslim Studies Program at MSU. Leila received her doctoral degree from the Department of English at MSU. Her research on Muslim American literary studies explores how Muslim writers reimagine plural identities and narratives while participating in the production of American literature within the U.S. cultural imaginary. Her work also considers how Muslim texts define Islam in America and engage with representations of faith and community in U.S. media culture. Currently, she is working on a manuscript that elaborates on how Muslim Americans articulate their “Muslimness” while situating it within the broader Umma of the Muslim community.

Research Interests