The Academic Study of Religion in the U.S. and Pakistan: A Comparative Perspective

Abstract

This article examines the history and contested status of the academic study of religion within American Studies through a comparative assessment of practices in the United States and Pakistan. Beginning with an overview of the study of religion as it emerged from Western theological traditions during the European Enlightenment, the article examines how American constitutional provisions have facilitated its unique status in American education. While the study of religion can foster understanding that is critical for civil society, it is often misunderstood and sometimes constitutionally challenged by American citizens. In turn, the article explores how Pakistan’s national history and constitutional provisions as an Islamic republic provide a distinctive, potentially more restrictive framework for pursuing the study of religion in secondary and post-secondary contexts. The conclusion notes the contribution of Pakistani-American scholar Zareena Grewal to advancing the academic study of religion, and specifically Islam, in the context of American Studies.