About

Although it would be inaccurate to romanticize the diversity that has always existed within the Muslim world, or to pretend that it has never led to conflict, it is beyond question that there are substantial variations among Muslims, their politics, and their religious practices. These variations are observable in all arenas of life, including politics, religion, sexuality, and culture. In this Sawyer Seminar series, entitled “Diversity and Conformity in Muslim Societies: Historical Coexistence and Contemporary Struggles,” we seek to explore the tension between the legacy of diversity bequeathed by remarkably tolerant Muslim histories, on one hand, and the efforts of post-colonial nation-states, internal activists, and international interventions to impose conformity and uniformity within contemporaryMuslim societies, on the other. In particular, we will focus on nationalism and Salafism as means of imposing homogeneity; spatial and cultural interactions between Muslims and non-Muslims; and the relationship between dominant groups and minorities in Muslim societies.

Sarah Shields (seminar co-chair)
Department of History, UNC Chapel Hill

Banu Gökarıksel (seminar co-chair)
Department of Geography, UNC Chapel Hill