Abolitionism in the Indian Ocean World:

Islam, Africa, and the Diaspora

HIST 482/590 

Mon-Thurs (9:00 am-12:55 pm)

Linthicum Hall, Room 208 

     Instructor: Dr. Omar H. Ali               E-mail:   oali@towson.edu

     Office:       Linthicum 119-K               Hours:   Weds. 2:30-3:30

OVERVIEW:

This course explores the history of Islam and the abolition of slavery in the Indian Ocean world. We will look at the rise and transformation of Islam, the making of the African Diaspora in the Indian Ocean, and the various ways in which slavery and other forms of un-free labor were resisted and finally abolished. The period covered will be from the seventh century—with the founding and spread of Islam beyond the Arabian Peninsula—through the twentieth century—with the formal abolition of slavery in the Indian Ocean. We will examine the subject of abolitionism within the global context of Africans and African slave labor, drawing comparisons with the mostly Christian-dominated colonial and early republican nations of the Atlantic world (including the French and British Caribbean, Spanish-controlled New Grenada, Portuguese Brazil, and North America).

We will look at the history of Islam and abolitionism in the eastern Diaspora through a combination of lectures, viewing of segments of documentaries, in-class readings of primary sources, and seminar-style discussion. How did Islam spread along East Africa and become an economic, cultural, and political force in other areas of the Indian Ocean? How did Africans shape Islam and how did they shape the societies and cultures into which they traveled or were brought? How was the Qur’an used to both justify and advocate against slavery? How do we compare this with the uses of the Christian Bible in the Atlantic world? What were the ways in which slavery was resisted and finally abolished in the Indian Ocean? These are some of the questions and issues we will examine over the course of the semester. Students will have three quizzes and a final. Graduate students will have a twelve page paper due at the end of the term in addition to the other requirements listed below.

REQUIRED BOOKS:

William Gervase Clarence-Smith, Islam and the Abolition of Slavery (Oxford University Press, 2006)

Shihan de Silva Jayasuriya, African Identity in Asia: Cultural Effects of Forced Migration (Marcus Wiener, 2009)

ADDITIONAL READINGS:

Omar H. Ali, “Islam, Trade, and Empire,” in Africa and the Wider World, Hakeem I. Tijani, et al., eds. (Pearson, 2010); “Islam and the African Diaspora in the Indian Ocean World,” Black Past: Remembered and Reclaimed (December 2009)

Edward A. Alpers, et al., eds., Resisting Bondage in Indian Ocean Africa and Asia (Routledge, 2006)

Gwyn Campbell, Abolition and Its Aftermath in the Indian Ocean, Africa and Asia (Routledge, 2005)

Michael A. Gomez, Reversing Sail: A History of the African Diaspora (Cambridge University Press, 2004)

Shihan De S. Jayasuriya and Richard Pankhurst, eds., The African Diaspora in the Indian Ocean (Africa World Press, 2003)

Ineke Van Kessel, “Conference Report: Goa Conference on the African Diaspora in Asia,” African Affairs (2006)

Documentaries and Movies:

Islam: Empire of Faith

Africa: A Voyage of Discovery

Prince Among Slaves

Palenque San Basilio

Amazing Grace

Zheng He

Africans in America

Films on Demand Academic Collection:

“Islam and Its Five Pillars” (28:00), “Islam” (28:00),

“Hajj: The Pilgrimage” (52:00), “Muhammad: The Voice of God” (44:00),

“They Surveyed the World: Exploring the Arab Empire and Beyond” (27:00)

GRADING:

Quiz #1 (15%)  Participation (10%)

Quiz #2 (15%)  Reviews (15%)

Quiz #3 (15%) Final (30%)

Scale:   

A=94-100         A-=90-93

B+=87-89        B=84-86           B-=80-83

C+=77-79       C=70-76         

D=63-69         

F (below 62)

Quizzes and Final Exam

Students will answer a combination of short essay questions and provide identifications of key people, events, concepts, and locations. There will be no make-up quizzes or final exam unless a signed note from a healthcare professional is presented to the instructor for absence due to illness.

Reviews

Two typed pages, stapled, and paginated. Reviews may be bullet points. Four percentage points will be given for each Quiz Review and three percentage points for the Final Review (to be handed in at the beginning of the class preceding quizzes (and final exam). These reviews are for students to help study for the quizzes and the final.

Participation

Students are expected to actively participate in class (asking and responding to questions and volunteering to read in-class primary sources). Students are also required to check with the professor if they come after attendance is called; a single percentage point will be taken off each time a student is late beyond the first class of the semester; two percentage points will be taken off for each absence beyond the first class of the semester (see end of document for details of university policy) unless the student turns in a three-page, double-spaced paper of the readings covered that week, to be turned in at the beginning of the class following the one in which the student was absent.

Weekly Schedule and Readings

January 4 Introduction

Readings: Ali, “Islam, Trade, and Empire,” in Africa and the Wider World; Van Kessel, “Conference Report: Goa Conference on the African Diaspora in Asia,” in African Affairs; Jayasuriya and Pankhurst, The African Diaspora in the Indian Ocean

Documentary: Islam: Empire of Faith

January 5

Readings: Jayasuriya, pp. 1-17; Clarence-Smith, pp. 1-21, 219-232, and 233

Documentary: Islam: Empire of Faith

January 6

Readings: ; Jayasuriya, pp. 19-36; Clarence-Smith, pp. 22-48

Documentary: “Islam and Its Five Pillars” and Zheng He

Quiz Review due

January 7

Quiz #1

Readings: Jayasuriya, pp. 37-63; Clarence-Smith, pp.49-65

Documentary: “Islam” and Africa: A Voyage of Discovery

January 11

Readings: Jayasuriya, pp. 65-80; Clarence-Smith, pp. 66-84

Documentary: “They Surveyed the World: Exploring the Arab Empire and Beyond”

January 12

Readings: Jayasuriya, pp. 81-97; Clarence-Smith, pp. 85-97

Documentary: “Muhammad: The Voice of God”

January 13

Readings: Jayasuriya, pp. 99-131; Clarence-Smith, pp. 98-128

Documentary: “Hajj: The Pilgrimage”

Quiz Review due

January 14

Quiz #2

Readings: Jayasuriya, pp. 133-139; Clarence-Smith, pp. 129-150

Documentary: Amazing Grace

January 18

Readings: Clarence-Smith, pp. 151-176

Gomez, Reversing Sail: A History of the African Diaspora

Alpers, Resisting Bondage in Indian Ocean Africa and Asia

Campbell, Abolition and Its Aftermath in the Indian Ocean, Africa and Asia

Documentary: Prince Among Slaves

January 19

Readings: Clarence-Smith, 177-194

Alpers, Resisting Bondage in Indian Ocean Africa and Asia

Campbell, Abolition and Its Aftermath in the Indian Ocean, Africa and Asia

Documentary: Africans in America

Quiz Review due

January 20

Quiz #3

Readings: Clarence-Smith, pp. 195-218

Alpers, Resisting Bondage in Indian Ocean Africa and Asia

Campbell, Abolition and Its Aftermath in the Indian Ocean, Africa and Asia

Documentary: Palenque San Basilio

Final Review due

January 21

FINAL EXAM

POLICIES

This course is in compliance with Towson University’s policies for students with disabilities.  Accommodations can be made on exams and assignments for students with disabilities.  Students with disabilities are encouraged to register with Disability Support Services (DSS), 7720 York Road, Suite 2132, 410-704-2638. Students who expect that they have a disability but do not have documentation are encouraged to contact DSS for advice on how to obtain appropriate evaluation.  A memo from DDS authorizing your accommodation is required before any arrangements can be made.

Any student found to be cheating will automatically receive an F in the course.  This includes plagiarism, copying from another student’s paper or crib notes.  Please refer to the University’s Student Academic Integrity Policy, Appendix F of the University Catalog, Part V.  No student will be allowed to repeat this course without written permission from the instructor.

TOWSON UNIVERSITY POLICY: Students should not attend classes or other university events from the onset of flu-like symptoms until at least 24 hours after the fever subsides without the use of fever reducing medications. Such absences will be considered excused absences; however, students are responsible for the material covered during the period of their absence.