The Islam Project

The world's fastest-growing religion, Islam embraces more than 1.2 billion worshippers of all races and ethnicities, on all the world's continents. It is a prominent force in the volatile geopolitics of the 21st century, one that plays an increasingly vital role in world affairs.

While there is no shortage of classroom materials on Islam, surveys of teachers suggest that there are few resources that penetrate the monolithic concept of Islam to present the extraordinary diversity found in the world's Muslim communities--diversity that is cultural, political, ideological, and even religious. Equally important, there seem to be few resources designed to help teachers answer students' questions, in the present political environment, about the nature of Islam and its role in the world in which they live. And finally, teachers have told us that they need materials to increase student sensitivity to, and understanding of, Islam as it is woven through America's rich multicultural fabric.

These issues are not confined to the classroom. All over America, Muslims and non-Muslims alike share these concerns. The Islam Project is conceived in part in the belief that accurate information, representing a spectrum of perspectives, is the most effective antidote to fear and misunderstanding.

The Islam Project is a multimedia effort aimed at schools, communities, and individuals who want a clearer understanding of this institution: complex, diverse, historically and spiritually rich, and--to many--mysterious and even forbidding.

The project comprises two PBS documentaries, a vibrant community engagement campaign, and an ambitious educational effort.