When:
Friday, May 9, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM CT
Where: 620 Library Place, Seminar Room, Evanston, IL 60208 map it
Audience: Faculty/Staff - Student - Public - Post Docs/Docs - Graduate Students
Contact:
Rebecca Shereikis
(847) 491-2598
Group: Institute for the Study of Islamic Thought in Africa (ISITA)
Category: Academic, Lectures & Meetings, Religious, Multicultural & Diversity, Global & Civic Engagement
A Talk by Abdel Wadoud (Deddoud) Ould Abdallahi, Professor of History, University of Nouakchott, Mauritania.
Lunch will be served at the talk.
This talk examines the Maḥḍara - a type of institution of Islamic learning - within the context of a nomadic society, with a particular focus on Bilād Shinqīṭ (current Mauritania and its vicinity). Flourishing in the Sahara since the 17th century, these free and open universities rely on the oral transmission of knowledge. They operate without formal tuition fees, being financially sustained by wealthier students and support from local communities. The curriculum primarily emphasizes religious studies, alongside a select few secular subjects, and is adapted to the realities of the nomadic lifestyle. The will also explore the Maḥḍara’s historical adaptation to the French colonial system, the renewal of its cultural vitality, and the challenges it faces in the 21st century such as social integration and the impact of external ideological influences.
Bio: Abdel Wadoud (Deddoud) Ould Abdallahi is a professor of History at the University of Nouakchott, where he has taught since 1988. His academic work focuses on the cultural and intellectual history of Mauritania and the broader West African region. He holds a PhD and an HDR (Habilitation à Diriger les Recherches) in History from the Mohammed V University in Rabat.
In addition to his academic career, Professor Ould Abdallahi has held a number of public sector roles in Mauritania, including: Secretary of State for Literacy and Original Education, Minister of National Education, Minister of Justice, and Advisor to the President of the Republic. He currently serves as a senior advisor to the High Council for Education, and as Vice President of the University of Modern Chinguetti.
His publications, written in Arabic, French, and Spanish, examine topics such as Islamic Scholarship, Traditional Education, and the Historical Development of Saharan Societies. His work combines archival research, critical historiography, and manuscript studies.