**Preface to "Islamic and Muslim Studies in Australia"**

This Special Issue comes at a time when the study of Islam and Muslims continues to be of high academic, social and political importance. Muslim population growth in Australia, the Asia–Pacific region and globally as well as ongoing tensions in Islam-West relations has raised the need for a better understanding of Islam and Muslims. This has been intensified by the narrow and distorted framing of Islam and Muslims within contexts of security and othering. Particularly since the turn of the century, in Australia and Western universities more generally, the study of Islam, and especially Muslims, has been preoccupied with a focus on villains and victims at the expense of the rich and diverse topics that have historically been pursued. This Special Issue seeks to challenge and transcend the constraints of this paradigm by confronting underlying assumptions and stereotypes and featuring research that contributes to Islamic and Muslim studies more broadly.

> **Halim Rane** *Editor*
