AFST 225Africans in the Indian Ocean

Catalog

Africans have been traveling in the Indian Ocean world long before they crossed the Atlantic in the brutal passages of west African slave trade. This course examines the history of the African diaspora in such places as India, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt and Yemen. Students in the course will 1) discuss the various definitions of diaspora and their usefulness to understanding African migration in the Indian Ocean 2) identify some of the cultural practices-including food, music and religion-associated with African culture in the Indian Ocean world 3) Read and interpret primary sources from Africans themselves, to understand their worldview and the contexts that shaped their choices.