Centering Islam: Challenges for Islamic/Muslim Studies Programs on Campus

Muslims, Muslim-majority societies, and anti-Muslim hostility are firmly in the American public eye today. Ignorance is on full display, but in some contexts so are curiosity and the desire to understand and engage. During our roundtable discussion, colleagues with experience in Islamic Studies/Muslim Studies and related programs and centers a a diverse array of American institutions of higher learning will talk about challenges, opportunities, and best practices in a broader climate that is insufficiently supportive of the humanities and the humanistic social sciences and in which the demands for public and student-facing work and intra-institutional service around topics associated with Islam and Muslims remain high. While dynamics specific to each institution shape the possibilities and constraints for Islamic Studies centers and programs, some issues and concerns are shared across campuses.