Course Synopsis:

This course will introduce students to the dynamic religious landscape of 19th-century Africa; the Islamic revolutions and socio-political transformations engendered by the introduction missionary Christianity. We will examine how Islam and Christianity began to interact with and/or displace indigenous religious adherence in different parts of Africa and how the engagement of these religions intermediated and coloured the character of the encounter between African peoples and European colonizers during the latter’s Scramble for Africa.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have learned to:

1. appraise the immense cultural and religious diversity of Africa and its social and political implications
2. analyze factors involved in the long-term process of religious and cultural change in Africa
3. recognize how religion was closely interwoven with state and community formation in Africa
4. to express their more informed responses to issues of diversity and difference among the different peoples and regions of Africa as well as generally.
5. develop critical thinking, reading, and writing skills

Method of Evaluation and Weights:

Quiz - 10%
Class discussions  - 25%
Essay -  25%
Final Exam  - 40%

Texts Required:

Library reserved and online source materials.

Please note: This is a preliminary website description only. The department reserves the right to change without notice any information in this description. The final, binding course outline will be distributed in the first class of the semester.