© koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2015 | doi 10.1163/21540993-00602005 islamic africa 6 (2015) 1-29 brill.com/iafr Islamic Africa African Salafism: Religious Purity and the Politicization of Purity Terje Østebø University of Florida ostebo@ufl.edu Abstract There is much ambiguity in terms of how Salafism is understood as an empirical phe- nomenon and how it is used as an analytical concept. This is partly because it often occurs rather uncritically in the media and in public discourses, but also due to the fact that Salafism represents a phenomenon encompassing a broad range of issues. This paper gives an overview over features and trends inherent in what I call African Salafism, focusing on issues such as the role of African agency, quests for religious purity, and processes of politicization of purity. The concept of African Salafism is obviously not unproblematic, as it may give the impression that we are dealing with a phenom- enon that can neatly be delineated, and that it is characterized by a certain set of fea- tures making it distinct from other forms. It is important to recognize that African Salafism signifies the representation of Salafism on the African continent, as some- thing shaped by African realities, and which obviously would contain significant local varieties. Keywords Salafism – religious reform – religious purity – politicization of purity Introduction The Malian conflict in 2012, the continued al-Shabaab insurgency in Somalia, the violence perpetuated by Boko Haram in Nigeria, and the Islamic State’s offensive in Iraq have significantly affected perceptions of what has become known as Salafism. Connected to general attitudes developing in a post-9/11