Student, Brigham Young University

Tala Alnasser, a senior at BYU, is an Arab-Muslim student who is studying public relations and French and minoring in sociology. Interested in the intersection of religion, law, and politics, Ms. Alnasser’s academic research focuses on religion, law, and society, with a particular interest in how Western frameworks of religious freedom and secularism shape understandings of Islam in predominantly Muslim countries. Drawing on her international experience from living and studying abroad, her interfaith leadership on campus, and her commitment to cross-cultural and interfaith dialogue, she explores how the “Christian Gaze” continues to manifest in everyday life, especially looking at how Islam and Sharia are framed in modern discourse and the way in which they affect Muslim identity and practice. After graduation, Ms. Alnasser plans to continue her research, contributing to legal academia in the Sharia Law.