This presentation framed the day-long conference on “Islam in Africa: Trends and Policy Implications.” From the perspective of African politics and conflicts, Islam in particular and religion in general serve as particularly effective means for popular mobilization. Islam is well suited as a channel for symbolic politics because religion serves as a focal point for narratives of grievance, belonging, and authenticity. Religious institutions in many parts of Africa often have relatively high degrees of capacity in terms of communications, leadership, and freedom as labor unions, civil society, and opposition parties have fragmented or been coopted by the state. The transnational dimensions of Islam link organizations in Africa to financial resources that are essential for political action as well as ideas and models that inspire mobilization. Perceptions that Islam is growing in influence and that Islamic extremism is a major security threat may reflect a larger challenge of the weakening of the secular state in Africa.
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