'The fruit of enlightenment': Education, politics, and Muslim-Christian relations in contemporary Tanzania

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Periodical article

Title:	'The fruit of enlightenment': Education, politics, and Muslim-Christian relations in contemporary Tanzania
Author:	Bondarenko, D.M.
Year:	2004
Periodical:	Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations
Volume:	15
Issue:	4
Pages:	443-468
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Tanzania
Subjects:	education Muslim-Christian relations politics
Abstract:	Raising the standard of education in the country is a priority task for the Tanzanian government. However, it seems that completion of this task may cause political problems insofar as, since the colonial period, Christians have generally been more educated than Muslims and obtained better access to high administrative positions. If Muslims become as educated as Christians, will it not lead to a severe struggle for power between the two communities? Our analysis based on field research reveals that this is not very likely to be the case: neither the present-day situation nor the tendencies we trace point to a high probability that this negative scenario will materialize. A rise in the standard of education level of both Christians and Muslims will rather contribute to an increase in tolerance in Christian-Muslim relations in the country. [Abstract journal]