Studying islam in western and non-western contexts

Abstract

This essay provides an introduction to the following set of papers that deal with some of the methodological and theoretical issues that the study of Islam poses for the academic study of religion. It argues that, while still somewhat problematic, recent years have seen a number of younger scholars—particularly in Europe and the so-called Muslim World—engage in and wrestle with these theoretical issues. The result is that the study of Islam has come a long way since the apologetic aftermath of September 11, 2001.