[1][2] Edwards's research has two main focuses: the globalization of American studies[3][4] and his theorization of "cultural circulation", especially vis-à-vis the Middle East and North Africa.
[15] Edwards has appeared in a number of public conversations in the media about US–MENA relations and cultural circulation, including on NPR,[16][17][18] PBS's WTTW,[19] NBC Chicago,[20] and Voice of America.
[28] The Commission's findings have been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle,[29] The Hill,[30] the Boston Herald,[31] Inside Higher Ed,[32][33] and the Association for Psychological Science.
[34] In 2024, Edwards was named in a federal Unfair Labor Practice charge against Tulane University for anti-union activities, including direct retaliation against union organizers.
[35][36] Edwards is married to Kate Baldwin,[9] who is Professor of English with joint appointments in the Department of Communication and the Gender and Sexuality Studies Program at Tulane University.