HIS 361 Islam in West Africa

This course provides an overview of the introduction and spread of Islam in West Africa. It examines the historical, religious, and cultural aspects of the expansion of Islam in West Africa with the growth of the Trans-Saharan Trade between the North Africa and the Western Sudan. We will examine the process of islamization, paying particular attention to the nature and impact of the 19th century Islamic revolutions (jihads) in West Africa and the interplay between Islam and traditional African religions and customary practices. Other themes to be explored in this course include: the nature of conversion, Islamic education and literacy, the status of women in Muslim societies, Muslim responses to European colonial domination in the 19th century; and contemporary perceptions about Islam as a World religion. The course is intended to provide students with a broad understanding of the history of Islam in West Africa from its beginnings (early 7th century) to the present.