Dr Usman Afzali is a lecturer in the Religious Studies Programme at the University of Otago, Dunedin, and leads the Muslim Diversity Study as principal investigator since its inception in 2023. Dr Afzali completed his PhD in psychology from University of Canterbury in 2022. In the past few years, Dr Afzali has published several articles with New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS) focusing on Muslim perception and attitudes toward Muslims in New Zealand.
As a researcher and committed member of the New Zealand Muslim community, Dr Afzali recognises the importance of including Muslim voices in discussions about New Zealand. This inspired him to develop a booster study under the guidance of Prof Bulbulia, Prof Sibley, Assoc Prof Yogeeswaran, and Mr Rasheed to enhance Muslim representation in the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS), known as Muslim Diversity Study (MDS), funded by Templeton Religion Trust. Hence, the MDS was an effort to address the underrepresentation of Muslims in NZAVS – which limited the inferences that could be made about Muslims' diversity, perception, flourishing, resilience, and meaning-making.
As a researcher and committed member of the New Zealand Muslim community, Dr Afzali recognises the importance of including Muslim voices in discussions about New Zealand. This inspired him to develop a booster study under the guidance of Prof Bulbulia, Prof Sibley, Assoc Prof Yogeeswaran, and Mr Rasheed to enhance Muslim representation in the New Zealand Attitudes and Values Study (NZAVS), known as Muslim Diversity Study (MDS), funded by Templeton Religion Trust. Hence, the MDS was an effort to address the underrepresentation of Muslims in NZAVS – which limited the inferences that could be made about Muslims' diversity, perception, flourishing, resilience, and meaning-making.
More about Dr Afzali: Academic website, Institution Homepage (Otago), Institution Homepage (Canterbury)