Islamic activism and U.S. foreign policy

For many in the West, political violence in Algeria, the Middle East, and elsewhere has come to symbolize the threat of "Islamic activism." Western governments, however, must deal with the challenge of extremism in the broader context of their relations with diverse states with contrasting histories, geographies, and peoples. To assess this challenge, the Institute brought together a distinguished group of policy analysts, practitioners, and scholars for a series of frank discussions. The sessions analyzed the nature of Islamic activism - including moderate political parties and militant extremists - and the options for policymakers to mitigate violence in a range of cases.