Blurb:

This chapter argues that since so many—in and out of the field—seem to worry about or articulate hopes for the future of Islamic studies, Carl W. Ernst’s example envisions a future that is critically attuned to multiple pressures and demands, intellectually, politically, and institutionally. This essay briefly summarizes the landscapes in which scholars of Islam, often located in humanistic disciplines, conduct their research; then, it addresses how scholars of Islam have navigated their various publics in increasingly politicized settings; finally and as above, by using Ernst as a model, it suggests practical strategies for scholarly work as we look toward the future of Islamic studies.