ABSTRACT

Architecture, Islam, and Identity in West Africa shows you the relationship between architecture and Islamic identity in West Africa. The book looks broadly across Muslim West Africa and takes an in-depth study of the village of Larabanga, a small Muslim community in Northern Ghana, to help you see how the built environment encodes cultural history through form, material, and space, creating an architectural narrative that outlines the contours of this distinctive Muslim identity. Apotsos explores how modern technology, heritage, and tourism have increasingly affected the contemporary architectural character of this community, revealing the village’s current state of social, cultural, and spiritual flux. More than 60 black and white images illustrate how architectural components within this setting express the distinctive narratives, value systems, and realities that make up the unique composition of this Afro-Islamic community.

chapter |7 pages

Introduction: Learning from Larabanga

Basic Lessons About Islam in West Africa

chapter 1|27 pages

Locating Larabanga

Architecture and Contemporary Islamic Identity in West Africa

chapter 2|56 pages

The Road to Larabanga

A Short History of Afro-Islamic Architecture

chapter 3|43 pages

Mallams, Mosques, and Mystic Stones

The Story of Larabanga

chapter 4|52 pages

Building Across Borders

Larabanga in Transition

chapter 6|13 pages

Conclusion: Lessons from Larabanga

The Future of Islam and the Built Environment in West Africa