Long before the September 11 attacks galvanized Western attention on what has variously been called political Islam, Islamic fundamentalism, and Islamism, African nations with sizeable Muslim populations were experiencing significant transformations in the relationship between religion and state. Political Islam in West Africa explores those ongoing transformations in key countries of the Sahel region. Each country chapter provides both historical context and an examination of the changing nature of domestic politics and foreign policy in the post - September 11 world. Introductory and concluding chapters provide additional context and highlight overarching themes. A notable feature of the book is a comprehensive bibliography of Islamism in West Africa.