The growth of both Muslim and Christian communities in Tanzania was intimately connected to the end of slavery. With slavery-derived hierarchies fading, Tanzanians have developed diverse strategies for peaceful coexistence between different religious communities, while the post-colonial government relied heavily on the rhetoric of secularism to position itself as a neutral arbiter. At times, though, religious tolerance has come under strain, and diverging memories of the history of slavery among Muslims and Christians resurface. At the same time, some Tanzanian observers have developed a critical attitude to Islam and Christianity alike, attributing their presence to colonial influence and calling for a return to an 'African' tradition of religious tolerance. The proposed project aims to investigate the intellectual, social and political dynamics of these complex debates.