audiobook Stories about Black History: Vol. 3 (Volume 3) by Danita Smith in History

Description

After the abolition of slavery in 1897; Islamic courts in Zanzibar (East Africa) became central institutions where former slaves negotiated socioeconomic participation. By using difficult-to-read Islamic court records in Arabic; Elke Stockreiter reassesses the workings of these courts as well as gender and social relations in Zanzibar Town during British colonial rule (1890-1963). She shows how Muslim judges maintained their autonomy within the sphere of family law and describes how they helped advance the rights of women; ex-slaves; and other marginalised groups. As was common in other parts of the Muslim world; women usually had to buy their divorce. Thus; Muslim judges played important roles as litigants negotiated moving up the social hierarchy; with ethnicisation increasingly influencing all actors. Drawing on these previously unexplored sources; this study investigates how Muslim judges both mediated and generated discourses of inclusion and exclusion based on social status rather than gender.