Craig Considine was born in 1985 and spent his childhood in
Needham, Massachusetts. He is of Irish and Italian descent.[3] As a college student, he wanted to study
Arabic and become an intelligence agent, so that he could spy on ‘bad’ Muslims. At the time, he had never even met a Muslim, and admitted to having fallen into the ‘
Islamophobia trap.’[4]
In his youth, Considine attended the Catholic school Saint Bartholomew's Church and the Needham Public Schools system. In 2001, Considine first experienced discrimination against the Muslim community. On the day the
World Trade Center was hit, his class was told that it was a
terrorist attack. And on the days following this event, Considine overheard his schoolmates saying, ‘Down with Muslims.’ According to him, this was not something he could stand by.[5]
Education
After graduating from
Needham High School in 2003, Considine attended
American University, where he pursued a
Bachelor of Arts in
International relations. As an undergraduate student, he worked closely under Professor
Akbar Ahmed, the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies in the School of International Service. Ahmed viewed Considine as one of his best students[citation needed]. According to Considine, his relationship with his professor helped him see the importance of interfaith dialogue within the Abrahamic tradition. Later, the two would collaborate on the Journey into America documentary film.[5]
Considine moved to London after finishing his undergraduate degree. There, he studied for a
master's in science in International Relations at the
Royal Holloway, University of London. He graduated in 2008, then joined Ahmed to work on the documentary.[5]
In 2011, Considine entered
Trinity College Dublin to pursue a PhD in the Department of Sociology.[1] While undertaking his PhD research, Considine also took on the role of Editor for the Trinity College Dublin Journal of Postgraduate Research. He oversaw the creation of Volume 11, entitled Ireland's Research on the World Stage.[6] Along with this, he worked on his PhD thesis, which focused on the experiences of young Pakistani men in Dublin and Boston. The manuscript was accepted and published in 2014.[7] Considine graduated in 2015.
After finishing his PhD, Considine moved to
Houston, where he took a job as a lecturer in Rice University's Department of Sociology, where he continues to teach.[1] His classes focus on
self-directed learning and
experiential learning[citation needed]. In previous years, Considine provided no assigned readings nor traditional lectures during his class sessions. Instead, he invited guest speakers to share their expertise and encouraged students to ask their own questions.[8]
Journey into America (documentary)
In 2008, after acquiring his master's degree, Considine partnered with his former professor, Akbar Ahmed to create Journey into America. The documentary follows Akbar Ahmed and a group of young researchers as they document the Muslim experience in America. It also features notable figures, such as
Noam Chomsky, former Secretary of Homeland Security
Michael Chertoff, and
Reverend Jesse Jackson.[9]
Considine obtained funding for Ahmed's film from
Dar Al Islam, an institution in
New Mexico for Islamic education.[5]
Considine filmed Ahmed's group as they interviewed American citizens across 75 different cities and 100 mosques.[9] Considine also edited the film. Some of his footage was used on
BBC World News America and
CNN.[5]
The team conducted a
social experiment in
Arab, Alabama. They dressed one of their female team members in a full
abaya . To their surprise, the people of Arab were kind and accommodating to the woman. Throughout their travels, they reported experiencing warmth and hospitality from locals of different cities.[9][10][11]
Ahmed and his team interviewed some people who thought that Muslims could not be Americans. They also interviewed American Muslims who were proud to be
citizens of the United States.[5]
Journey into America premiered at the
Islamic Society of North America conference in Washington, D.C., on July 4, 2009. The documentary was directed by Considine.[5] Ahmed also wrote a book on his experiences entitled Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam.[12]
Islam, Race, and Pluralism in the Pakistani Diaspora
Considine's first book, published in 2017 was about what he referred to as ‘
Pakphobia’ or the aversion to
Pakistan in the Irish and American context. He interviewed over 40 people and said that their Pakphobia was because they saw
Pakistanis as Muslims, in whom they saw a perceived threat of
radical Islam.[4]
Muslims in America: Examining the Facts
In his second book, Considine documented the lives, actions, and beliefs of
American Muslims. The book answers 31 different questions relating to Muslims in American society. He said that Muslims condemn the violent actions of extremists and examined contributions to interfaith dialogue.[13]
The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View
Another book is about the life and influence of
Muhammad, whom Considine says is misunderstood. He offers a Christian perspective on Islamic beliefs, so that
Islamic Theology can be appreciated by non-Muslims.[14] He said that Muhammad was
anti-racist. Considine says that a ‘civil nation state,’ is a community that transcends ethnic, tribal and religious boundaries. In such a community, people from diverse backgrounds can live under one government.[3][15]
Works
Books
Islam, Race, and Pluralism in the Pakistani Diaspora. 2017.
Routledge. ISBN 978-1-315-46275-2.[4][16][17][18]
Muslims in America: Examining the Facts. 2018.
ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-4408-6054-6.[13][19][20]
Islam in America: Exploring the Issues. 2019.
ABC-Clio. ISBN 978-1-4408-6631-9.
The Humanity of Muhammad: A Christian View. 2020. Blue Dome Press. ISBN 978-1-68206-529-7.[3][14][15][21][22]
People of the Book: Prophet Muhammad’s Encounters with Christians. 2021.
Hurst Publishers. ISBN 978-1-78738-471-2.