Evjue-Bascom Professor in the Humanities
College of Letters and Science | Department of Religious Studies
Hometown: New York, NY
KD Thompson is a linguistic anthropologist and discourse analyst who explores the intersections of language, power, and identity in Muslim communities in East Africa and North America. Their research delves into how language shapes religious belonging, community formation, and nonconformist identities. Through ethnographic work in Zimbabwe and Tanzania, as well as in digital spaces and North American Muslim communities, Thompson’s scholarship bridges geographical and cultural contexts. Their books—including Muslims on the Margins: Creating Queer Religious Community in North America (NYU Press, 2023), Popobawa: Tanzanian Talk, Global Misreadings (Indiana University Press, 2017), and Zimbabwe’s Cinematic Arts: Language, Power, Identity (Indiana University Press, 2012)—offer critical insights into discourse, representation, and lived experiences. As a faculty member in the Religious Studies Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Thompson teaches courses on language and religion, Islam in Africa and the diaspora, identity in religious communities, and Buddhism and anti-racism.
Presentation can also be offered in Swahili.
Talks:
Queer(ing) Religion
What happens when queerness meets religion? This talk examines how LGBTQ+ individuals and groups navigate faith, how religious traditions respond to queerness, and what we can learn when we view religion through a queer lens. Join us for stories, insights, and surprising connections between identity, belief, and belonging.