Scholar Who Reshaped Western Study of Islam Dies

John Esposito challenged Orientalist assumptions that had long defined the academic field

John Esposito, a scholar credited with transforming how the West studied Islam, died July 15, according to Al Jazeera.

Esposito spent his career challenging Orientalist orthodoxies that had shaped Western academic approaches to the religion for generations, the outlet reported. His scholarship is widely regarded as having reshaped the broader field of Islamic studies.

His death drew tributes from scholars who noted his role in pushing academia to reconsider long-held assumptions about Islam and the Muslim world, according to Al Jazeera.

— Compiled from reporting by Al Jazeera.