POS 241 Islam & Politics in Africa

Africa was home to the first Muslim community outside Mecca, the birth place of Islam.Currently, Africa is home to the second largest population of Muslims in the world, with Muslim communities found in every African country.In fact, there are more Muslims in Africa than the Middle East.Clearly, Africa holds a cardinal position in the world of Islam.This course explores the spread of Islam in Africa since 620 C.E. when Africa served as a safe haven for the first Muslim community.It examines the methods, tenets, and impact the religion has had on its African adherents and the influence of African traditions on the practice of the faith itself.To effectively explore these issues, the course will be organized around major themes: Section 1 examines The Islamization of Africa and the Africanization of Islam; Section 2 addresses Islam, Slavery and Political Islam; Section 3 focuses on Colonialism and Islam in Africa, and Section 4 explores Contemporary Africa and Islam in Africa.Given the scope of the continent, the intent here is to broadly address these themes.(L10) (CP)