Mogahed is a translator between two cultures in conflict.

Dalia Mogahed: What I do for a living is to try to understand, from an empirical viewpoint, the views, opinions, perceptions and aspirations of Muslim populations around the world.

What I try to do is, through survey research, give this population a voice through their own words. Not by projecting my ideas on to them, but by, essentially through my analysis, being a mouthpiece for their voice.

Because I feel that without that – in the absence of a scholarly tool that really represents the views of entire populations – that people in general are silenced by a vocal fringe.

I would define myself as a scientist, and as a translator between two cultures that today are in conflict, but that I believe can live and even thrive by cooperating.

Recorded on: July 3, 2007.