The Indian Ocean is a vast sea linking a diversity of societies to its west, north, and south. These stretch from Australia, to Southeast Asia, to the Indian Subcontinent, to Persia and the Arabian Peninsula, to the east African coast. This course is an introduction to the history of the peoples and societies of these areas from the earliest recorded times to the present.
Emphasis is on the western part of the Indian Ocean, especially India, Arabia, and east Africa.
A region of tremendous importance globally, the Indian Ocean has been neglected as a unit of historical inquiry. This is especially strange since the Indian Ocean, together with the Mediterranean, delimits the classical Islamic world of the seventh through fifteenth centuries. In this class we will be particularly interested in transformations in Indian Ocean economies and in the movement of people about the Ocean into modern times. Required Coursework 1. I expect you to attend class and to inform me by telephone or email beforehand if you must miss class.