Islam, Christianity and Indigenous Religion in West Africa, 1800 to the Present
- Course Code:
- 15PHIH019
- Status:
- Course Not Running 2012/2013
- Unit value:
- 0.5
- Taught in:
- Term 1
Objectives and learning outcomes of the course
A key objective is to extend the historical study of religion in Africa beyond the established focus on conversion to the world religions, Islam and Christianity, to the changing dynamics of indigenous belief and practice. To reflect the increasing attention on the part of historians to indigenous religion, the half-unit course is structured into three parts, looking at turn at Islam, Christianity and indigenous or ‘traditional’ belief systems. Topics include: the rise of reformist and revolutionary Islam in the West African savanna region in the nineteenth century; the relationship between Muslims and European rulers in colonial West Africa; the Christian missionary encounter in the region; the ‘Africanization’ of Christianity with the rise of independent African churches in the twentieth century; the history of indigenous spirit possession and anti-witchcraft cults; and the rise of new trans-national religious movements in the postcolonial era.
Further objectives will be to demonstrate the historical importance of processes of dialogue between faiths rather than clear-cut conversion from one to another, and to provide a historical context for the contemporary landscape of belief in West Africa.
At the end of the course, students will:
- Understand the role of religious belief and practice in the history of West Africa in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the historical development of Islam, Christianity and indigenous belief systems in the region.
- Identify critical approaches and historiographical debates in the study of religious change in Africa.
- Evaluate critically historical literature and summarize these evaluations in written and oral classroom presentations.
Research and write a history essay using appropriate scholarly language and critical apparatus.
