Syllabus
African Religions in the Diaspora-AAAS 4251
Spring 2013-Tuesdays:
1-4pm
Professor: Dr. Andre E. Johnson
E-mail:ajohnsn6@memphis.edu
Office Hours: Tuesdays 9-12pm
Course Description: This course is a study of the
transplantation of African Religions (those established in or indigenous to West Africa ) to the western hemisphere, during the
trans-Atlantic Slave Trade (ca 1500-1880’s) and how these religions have
changed over time. Students will explore the nature of African religious and
philosophical thought; retention, adaptation, and hybridity in religious
movements like Santeria, Voodoo/Vodou/ Vodun, Orisha worship, Rastafarianism,
Obeah in Jamaica ,
Islam and Christianity.
Books:
Patrick Bellegarde-Smith: Fragments of Bone: Neo African
Religions in a New World
Joseph Murphy: Working the Spirit:
Ceremonies of the African Diaspora
Benjamin C Ray: African Religions:
Symbol, Ritual, and Community
John Mbiti: Introduction to
African Religion
Grading:
Classroom Discussions/Pop Quizzes (25%)
Review Reflection Papers (25%)
Mid-term (25%)
Final Exam (25%)
*There will be opportunities to receive extra credit
throughout the course.
**Students should not cite Wikipedia as a source!!
Attendance: This class depends on the participation
and the mutual support of students. I will allow two unexcused absences. After that, I will take away five
points for each additional absence from your total points. You must
provide evidence to claim an excused absence. Lateness counts as partial
absence and after 30 minutes, you may come in the class, but you will be marked
as absent.
Originality: According to the University of Memphis
Student Handbook
Students with Disabilities: Students with
disabilities (including invisible disabilities such as chronic diseases,
learning disabilities, and head injuries) are encourage to notify their
instructor of their condition within the first two weeks of the semester. The
college and your instructor will make reasonable accommodations for persons
with documented disabilities.
Assignments
Review Reflections: Students are required to write and be prepared to present 2-3 page
papers on one of the assigned readings. I am looking for a review of the
assignment along with a personal reflection. Students will also add two
questions for discussion at the end of the papers.
Mid-Term: The mid-term
will consist of 25 questions that will have both “true/false” as well as “multiple-choice”
questions.
Final Exam: The final exam will consist of 25 questions
that will have both “true/false” as well as “multiple-choice” questions.
*All Articles are on
umdrive. To get the syllabus and
articles off umdrive, get on the internet and type http://umdrive.memphis.edu/ajohnsn6
then go to African Religions to get the syllabus and articles that you need.
Schedule Topics
and Readings
Note: All assignments are in bold type and students are to
complete them before class on the assigned day. Please bring your books or readings to class for reference during
discussions. Written assignments are due at the beginning of class on the
date specified in the syllabus.
January 22nd
(The Study of African Diaspora)
Introduction to class
No class
Gordon and Anderson: “The African Diaspora” Palmer: “Defining and Studying the
African Diaspora” Butler: “Black
History to Diasporan History”
(Traditional African Religion)
January 29th
Mbiti: Chapters 18,
1-2
February 5th
Mbiti: Chapters 3 (Crystal Bledsoe-Boyd) 4 (Terry
Sanders-Evans), Ray: Introduction (Dixie
Fletcher)
(God and the Spirits)
February 12th
Mbiti: Chapter 5 (Andrea Fincher) 6 (Shelby
White), Ray: Chapter 1 (Ericka Stone)
February 19th
Mbiti: Chapter 7 (Lori Nicholson), Long: “The West African High God” (Makala Scurlock)
Ray: Chapter 2 (Brooke Smith)
February 26th
Gibreel Kamara:
“Regaining Our African Aesthetics” (Crystal Bledsoe-Boyd),
Emefie Metuh: “The Supreme God in Igbo Life and Worship,” (Terry Sanders-Evans), Sandra Greene: Religion History
and the Supreme God of Africa” (Dixie Fletcher)
March 5th
Mid-Term
March 12th
Spring Break
(Humankind, Death, Religious Leaders and Rituals)
March 19th
Mbiti: Chapter 8 (Andrea Fincher) 11 (Shelby
White), 12 (Ericka
Stone)
March 26th
Mbiti: 13 (Lori Nicholson) 14 (Makala Scurlock), Ray: Chapter 3 (Brooke Smith)
(Magic, Sin and Morals)
April 2nd
Mbiti: Chapter 15 (Crystal Bledsoe-Boyd), Ray: Chapter 4 (Terry Sanders-Evans), 5 (Dixie
Fletcher)
April 9th
Mbiti: Chapter 16 (Andrea Fincher), Awolalu: “Sin and Its Removal in African Traditional Religion”
(Shelby White) Ray: Chapter 6 (Ericka Stone)
(Religions in the Diaspora)
April 16th
Haitian and Brazilian Religions
Murphy: Chapter 2 (Lori Nicholson), Bellegarde-Smith: Chapters 2 (Makala Scurlock), 6,
(Brooke Smith) 10 (Crystal Bledsoe-Boyd),
April 23rd
Cuban and Jamaican Religions
Murphy: Chapter 4 (Terry Sanders-Evans), 5 (Dixie
Fletcher), Bellegarde-Smith: Chapter 5 (Andrea
Fincher), 7 (Shelby White)
April 30th
Role of Women
Mbiti: “The Role of
Women in African Religion,” (Ericka
Stone)
Omoyajoma: “The Role of Women in Yourba,” (Lori Nicholson), Bellegarde-Smith: Chapter 8 (Makala Scurlock), Ogbu Kalu: “Gender Ideology in Igbo Religion” (Brooke Smith)
May 6th
Final Exam Due by 4:00pm
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