Veiled Pedagogy : How Spirituality and Religion Affect the Classroom Space

• In Event: Reimagining Pedagogy: Teacher Agency, Spiritual Inclusion, and Community-Centered Education

Abstract

This paper interrogates the myth of the university as a neutral and secular liberal space, arguing that such environments often uphold hidden hegemonic norms rooted in Eurocentric, hetero-Christian, and white supremacist ideologies. While institutions of higher education claim to champion diversity and inclusion, they frequently exclude or marginalize full expressions of spirituality, particularly those of visibly Muslim individuals. Through the concept of veiled pedagogy, this study explores how embodied religious expression—specifically, a Muslim American woman professor’s decision to wear the hijab—enters the classroom not only as a personal act of faith but also as a transformative pedagogical tool.
Drawing on qualitative data from open-ended surveys completed by 70 students, this paper examines how students perceived their professor’s visible spiritual practice and how it shaped their educational experience. The findings reveal a complex landscape: some students expressed indifference, raising questions about religious “color-blindness”; others reported increased respect and curiosity, indicating the potential for spiritual expression to foster empathy, inclusion, and deeper engagement with diverse worldviews.
By centering the hijabi faculty member’s experience, this research challenges normative secular frameworks and expands conversations about what constitutes valid knowledge and presence in academic spaces. It argues for the necessity of educational practices that embrace students’ and educators’ holistic selves—including their spiritual identities—as vital to cultivating genuinely inclusive learning environments. In doing so, the paper calls for a reimagining of the classroom as a site of healing, connection, and spiritual transformation, disrupting dominant narratives that have historically silenced such expressions.

Author

• Saugher Nojan, San Jose State University