The Pacifist Tradition in West African Islam

Tuesday, January 17, 2017
Koni Komboro/Reuters
Speaker
Lamin Sanneh

D. Willis James Professor of World Christianity, Yale Divinity School; Professor of History and International and Area Studies, Yale University

Presider
Steven Paulikas

Rector, All Saints' Episcopal Church

Religion and Foreign Policy Series

Lamin Sanneh, the D. Willis James professor of missions and world Christianity at Yale Divinity School and professor of history and international and area studies at Yale University, discusses the origin and evolution of the Muslim pacifist tradition in West Africa highlighting Islam's role in fostering political moderation, religious tolerance, and social pluralism throughout the region.

Explore More on Religion

China

Religion in China
A significant proportion of China’s population claims to follow a religion. However, the government continues to toughen oversight, increase persecution of some religions, and attempt to co-opt state-sanctioned religious organizations.

Backgrounder by CFR.org Editors May 15, 2024

India

India’s Muslims: An Increasingly Marginalized Population
India’s Muslim communities have faced decades of discrimination, which experts say has worsened under the Hindu nationalist BJP’s government.

Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland March 18, 2024

China

China’s Repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang
More than a million Muslims have been arbitrarily detained in China’s Xinjiang region. The reeducation camps are just one part of the government’s crackdown on Uyghurs.

Backgrounder by Lindsay Maizland September 22, 2022

Top Stories on CFR

China

Virtual Media Briefing: U.S. Tariffs on Chinese Imports

Play
CFR experts discuss President Joe Biden’s decision to increase tariffs on various Chinese imports and the implications for the U.S. economy and U.S.-China relations. 

Virtual Event with Zongyuan Zoe Liu, Brad W. Setser and Matthew P. Goodman May 16, 2024 Media Briefings

Myanmar

Will 2024 Be the Junta’s End in Myanmar?
Myanmar’s civil war between resistance groups and the ruling military junta has reached a decisive phase.

Blog Post by Joshua Kurlantzick May 15, 2024 Asia Unbound

Taiwan

Taiwan’s Democracy Is Thriving in China’s Shadow
Despite China’s growing pressure, Taiwan has developed one of the world’s strongest democracies—one that will be increasingly tested in the coming years. 

Blog Post by David Sacks May 13, 2024 Asia Unbound