In the 21st century, Islamic Studies are going through the process of reconfiguration of the research space and abandoning the traditional stereotypes inspired by the Orientalism of previous eras. The contemporary Muslim world is no longer confined to the Middle East; that is why the way to Muslim Studies, a new academic discipline, needs to be given. At least two new trends emerged within the last few decades that prompt this re-structuring. Firstly, it is an increase of the Muslim population in the countries of Western Europe and the United States that began in the middle of the previous century. This trend served as an impetus to the development of Muslim Minorities Studies showing that Muslims in the West are a very diverse group with a variety of problems. The second process that reformatted the field and geography of Islamic Studies was the founding of independent states in Central Asia. People there wanted to find a new cornerstone for their identity in the new context. The idea of religious affiliation, when Islam was rendered synonymous with tradition and a marker of national identity, became a new anchor. The paper suggests naming this discipline Post-Soviet Muslim Studies and presents the characteristics and further suggestions for a way forward.

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