oa Religious Studies and the Study of Islam: Mutual Misperceptions, Shared Promises

The relationship between scholars working in the field of Islamic Studies and those affiliating themselves with Religious Studies (in the Netherlands, but also beyond) is plagued by a number of mutual misperceptions. These misperceptions should, and in fact can, be overcome. To argue this point, I (1) sketch the institutional framework of Islamic and Religious Studies in the Netherlands; (2) discuss a current area of fruitful interaction, viz., the study of Islamic ritual; and (3) end by some methodological reflections on future possibilities for collaboration between the two disciplines.