Tackling Islamophobic Population Myths | S.Y. Quraishi

Within India there are exaggerated fears of Muslim numbers and a lack of appreciation that Muslims’ greater poverty, not their religiosity, helps explain their higher fertility rates.  S.Y. Quraishi, author of The Population Myth: Islam, Politics, and Family Planning in India, joins us.   Former Chief Election Commissioner of India, S.Y. Quraishi, debunks the myth around exaggerated fears of Muslim numbers, born out of right-wing Islamophobic political propaganda, while also sharing that lack of socio-economic empowerment rather than religiosity fuels higher fertility rates. The Population Myth reveals how the right-wing spin to population data has given rise to myths about the 'Muslim rate of growth', often used to stoke majoritarian fears of a demographic skew. Dr. Quraishi uses facts to demolish these, and demonstrates how a planned population is in the interest of all communities. See episode website for show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.populationbalance.org/podcast/sy-quraishi   ABOUT US OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward Abundance [Formerly The Overpopulation Podcast] OVERSHOOT tackles today’s interlocked social and ecological crises driven by humanity’s excessive population and consumption. The podcast explores needed narrative, behavioral, and system shifts for recreating human life in balance with all life on Earth. With expert guests from wide-ranging disciplines, we examine the forces underlying overshoot: from patriarchal pronatalism that is fueling overpopulation, to growth-biased economic systems that lead to consumerism and social injustice, to the dominant worldview of human supremacy that subjugates animals and nature. Our vision of shrinking toward abundance inspires us to seek pathways of transformation that go beyond technological fixes toward a new humanity that honors our interconnectedness with all beings.  Hosted by Nandita Bajaj and Alan Ware. Brought to you by Population Balance.  Learn more at populationbalance.org Copyright 2025 Population Balance