"But September 11 marked a big change in the sense that the public was suddenly interested, and as a professor at a public university I felt a responsibility to respond to all of the inquiries about the Islamic world"

In this quote, Juan Cole is going over the impact of the September 11 attacks on the general public's perception and interest in the Islamic world. He keeps in mind that prior to this event, there was not much attention provided to this subject. However, after the attacks, there was an unexpected surge in public interest and interest about the Islamic world. As a teacher at a public university, Cole felt a sense of duty to address and respond to the numerous inquiries and questions about this subject. This quote highlights the considerable shift in public perception and the function of teachers in providing info and understanding about the Islamic world.