Governing Islam

Julia Stephens' 'Governing Islam' analyzes how colonial legal institutions and policies shaped understandings of Islam and secular governance in South Asia.

The book explores interactions between law, religion, and statecraft, showing how colonial authorities attempted to categorize and regulate Muslim practices.

Stephens demonstrates how these legal categorizations had lasting effects on postcolonial notions of secularism and religious identity.

Through archival research, she traces the administrative logics and courtroom practices that produced authoritative knowledge about Islam.

The work contributes to broader debates on religion, law, and empire by linking legal histories to social and political transformations in the region.