France and Islam in West Africa, 1860-1960This book is a major contribution to the social, political and intellectual history of the largest colonial state in Africa, the French West African Federation. By focusing on the specific subject of the development of French policy towards Islam, it sheds light on a wide range of issues, from the grand strategy of French imperialism to the psychology of individual administrators in isolated outposts of the empire. Christopher Harrison argues that in order to make sense of colonial rule, it is vitally important to understand the way in which the colonial power thought about the people it governed. He demonstrates how French understanding of Islam in West Africa evolved from the short-term, and often contradictory, policies associated with the period of military expansion, through a period of intense suspicion and fear of pan-Islamic movements, to a widely-held consensus that Islam in Africa was quite distinct from the Islam of the Arab world. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
NINETEENTHCENTURY | 7 |
THE FEAR OF ISLAM | 25 |
9 | 60 |
the Futa Jallon | 68 |
FRENCH SCHOLARSHIP AND | 91 |
The First World | 97 |
THE FRENCH STAKE | 137 |
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Common terms and phrases
Affaires African Islam Afrique Ahmadu Bamba Algeria almamy amongst André animist ANSOM AP AOF circular AOF to Lt.-Gov April Arabic argued Arnaud August Brévié century cercle CHEAM chiefs civilisation Clozel coloniale Colonies to Gov.-Gen Commt Conakry conquest conspiracy Coppet Coppolani Coranic Côte d'Ivoire Dahomey Dakar Delafosse el-Hajj European Faidherbe February Fouta française France French administration Fulbe Futa Jallon Gov.-Gen Governor Governor-General Guinea Hamallah Ibid Ibrahim Niasse indigènes Ivory Coast January July June l'Afrique L'Islam en Guinée leaders Lieutenant-Governor M'Backé Malick Sy marabouts March Mariani Marty Marty's Mauretanie Maurice Delafosse Mauritania médersa military missidi mission mosque Mourides musulmane native Niger Nioro nonetheless Note October organisation Paris political Ponty population Porto Novo Qur'ānic Rapport politique religion religious schools Sénégal Sénégal to Gov.-Gen Senegalese Seydou Nourou Tall Sheikh Anta Sheikh Sidia social St Louis Sufi Tierno Aliou Tijani Tijaniyya Touba traditional Trarza West Africa wrote