Hanson's research explores the religious imagination and social initiatives of Muslims in western Africa. His current projects focus on the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, a trans-national Islamic movement with origins in South Asia that gained a significant following in twentieth-century Ghana. Previously, he analyzed Muslim Sufi movements in nineteenth-century Senegal and Mali. He also reflects on historical methods and is co-editor of History in Africa: A Journal of Method. Hanson’s teaching concerns the full range of transformations associated with Africa during the last six hundred years. He is also interested in Middle Eastern history and holds an adjunct appointment in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures.
Research Interests:
- Africa
- Religion
- Intellectual and cultural
- 19th century
- 20th century
- African History
- Middle Eastern History
- African Diaspora History
- Cultural History
- Religion and Society