West African History

(4 Credits)

This seminar follows West African Muslims as they traveled and migrated, built communities and states, produced writings, and contended with systems of slavery and colonialism. Our focus will be on the West African Sahel, including parts of today’s Nigeria, Mauritania, Mali, and Senegal. For centuries, the Sahel has been shaped by the circulations of people, ideas and goods stemming from two distinct worlds: the Atlantic Ocean and Sahara Desert. Our historical investigations will be at once firmly grounded in the Sahel, and often on the move, following the movements of West African Muslim pilgrims, scholars, slaves, merchants, rulers, and revolutionaries.