Module HIST57030: Islam and Christianity in West Africa

Department: History

HIST57030: Islam and Christianity in West Africa

Pre-requisites

Corequisites

Excluded Combinations

Aims

• To enable students to study at an advanced level, the history of the spread of Islam and Christianity in West Africa since the beginning colonial rule which will enable students to acquire specific learning outcomes of the programme as whole including:
• a specialist knowledge of imperial history
• bibliographic skills
• an understanding of historical debates
• advanced skills in writing history
• general skills of the historian

Content

• This module will cover selected aspects of the history of religion in West Africa, reflecting current debate on the subject and the particular interests of the student. Topics may include the resistance of Islam to colonial rule, Islam's relationship to the post-colonial state and urbanisation, and its growing potential to attract followers. For Christianity; the spread of Christianity through popular culture, its attraction to women and the indigenisation of imported doctrine. Topics may specialise upon the case studies of Ghana and Nigeria and consider the nature of religiosity in the African context.

Learning Outcomes

• Students should build up critical understanding of this aspect of African history and should become aware of other boundaries of current knowledge relating to the subject.
• Students should acquire detailed knowledge and critical understanding of one topic chosen in conjunction with the supervisor.

• Students should be able to undertake a programme of intensive reading directed at a number of topics.
• Students should be able to participate in regular discussion of issues arising from the reading with their supervisor.
• Students should then be able to produce an extensive piece of writing on this agreed subject.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment

Discussion of work in progress. Written or oral comments on any other agreed written assignment, such as a book review or exploratory essay. In addition, supervisors will normally read and provide written comments on not more than one draft of work being prepared for summative assessment.