Religion and Politics in Africa

Catalog description

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to many religions’ indigenous belief systems, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam It is also arguably a region with a history of peaceful coexistence until recent decades. This course examines African religious transformations, encounters, exchanges, and conflicts. Topics to be covered include medieval and modern theocracies, reformism and jihad, literacy, gender hierarchies, education, European colonialism and Christian proselytization, Islamic evangelism, and religion and resistance to foreign domination. We will also explore theories about charismatic leadership, modernization, secularization, and radicalism.