Copy of Connecting Continents Workshop: Case Studies From the Indian Ocean

This is an Archive of a Past Event

The Indian Ocean has formed an enduring connection between three continents, countless small islands and a multitude of cultural and ethnic groups. Bringing together international scholars spanning the disciplines of anthropology, archaeology, classics and history, this academic workshop will explore the issues of connectivity and diaspora through the lenses of migration, communications and labor. Presentations will draw on history and archaeology to chronologically contextualize our interpretation of the main transitions to have taken place, and how globalization can be investigated through material culture. Speakers will draw on anthropology to frame our theoretical appreciation for what these transitions (i.e. from slavery to freedom) mean in a modern context. Further, using ecological research, they will focus on both the implications of human impact on local environments and on how ecological study can provide a more informed understanding of Classical and historic colonial events. Ultimately, this workshop is concerned with understanding how research in this hugely complicated region will develop, how to approach issues related to the increased role of NGO and governmental bodies, and how new communities in former colonial enclaves engage and interact with parental populations and governments.