New Book: “Islam, Education and Freedom”
In Islam, Education and Freedom (Bloomsbury), Ezzani and Brooks examine how Islamic schools can cultivate meaningful experiences of freedom within educational settings. Based on a qualitative case study of North Star Academy, a progressive Islamic school in Southern California, the book explores six key dimensions of freedom: identity, acceptance, pedagogy, conflict, trust, and love.
Through the experiences of school leaders, teachers, students, parents, and the community, the book shows how these freedoms are understood and practiced in ways that support the development of confident American Muslim identities. It concludes by proposing a model for freedom in Islamic schooling and highlighting the potential of faith-centered education to contribute to broader educational reform.
Core Research Questions
- How do race, faith, and power operate within American schools?
- What does culturally responsive leadership look like in practice?
- How can educational leaders support religious and cultural identity in diverse school communities?
- In what ways can schools promote liberation rather than assimilation?
Culturally Responsive Leadership
A central theme of Dr. Ezzani’s research is the role of culturally responsive leadership in K–12 education. She argues that culturally responsive leadership is not merely a framework for administrators but a moral call to action, one that requires school leaders to actively engage with issues of identity, equity, and justice in their communities.
Her scholarship examines how leaders navigate cultural diversity, in all its variations, while creating environments where students’ identities are recognized, respected, and valued.
Islamic School Leadership
A defining thread of Dr. Ezzani’s scholarship focuses on Islamic school leadership, an area that remains underexplored in educational research. Her work investigates how Islamic schools in the United States navigate questions of identity, leadership, and educational purpose while operating within broader social and political contexts.
This research highlights the high stakes surrounding identity, equity, and freedom for Muslim students and educators.
Dr. Miriam D. Ezzani 