The Islamic Worlds Initiative is a new project at UVA whose goal is to be a meeting point for scholars from around Grounds who are studying regions and/or communities where Islamic ways of life play an important role. A space as much for scholars in history, literature, anthropology, archeology, and the arts, as it is for those working in the field of Islamic Studies, the Islamic Worlds initiative seeks a novel approach, one that is as transregional as it is transdisciplinary. Moving beyond the concept of an Islamic World, the term Islamic Worlds is a conscious one that we employ as we endeavor to bring together a pluralistic engagement into geographic, social, artistic, and intellectual worlds that are infused with Islamic sensibilities and ethics.
Prof. Fatima Siwaju (AAS) co-organized a conference in Dakar, Senegal from May 19-21, 2025. The Conference, entitled “In the Shadow of Malcolm X: Islam and the Black Radical Tradition,” brought together researchers, activists, community leaders, elders, and artists to celebrate the centennial of Malcolm X’s birth and to explore the intersections of Islamic thought and the Black radical tradition. The conference was well attended, and resulted in a short film produced by Siwaju and the conference organizers. Watch the short film on YouTube: In The Shadow of Malcolm X.
