The course is intended to provide a basic introduction to the history of the Indian Ocean. The course will focus on the Indian Ocean basin as an arena of transnational and interregional relations. Special emphasis will be placed on the relations with the Red Sea and on cultural and religious networks with a focus on the Hajj.
By the end of this course, the students should have an: - overall acquaintance with current academic takes on Indian Ocean Studies; - overview of the major historical events in the Indian Ocean Region; - understand the processes of Globalization in the Indian Ocean Region; - acquire the ability to independently identify and select literature relevant to Indian Ocean Studies.
Through participation in seminars, students will improve their presentational and argumentative skills.
Prerequisiti
Course with no prerequisites. The course is aimed at students who possess a basic knowledge of African and Asian History and wish to complement their in-depth understanding of global history and the history of international relations.
Metodi didattici
The course will be mainly based on frontal lessons and class debates; students are expected to give one presentation of the duration of about 10-15 minutes on topics from the reading list or on a topic assigned to the student by the course instructor. All students are expected to attend all presentations and contribute to the general discussion that will follow. Students are expected to actively participate in the discussion having read and reflected on the assignments pertinent to each presentation.
Verifica Apprendimento
The exam consists of an individual oral exam, aimed at ascertaining the skills acquired in relation to the contents of the course. In the final exam students will be evaluated on the basis of: 1) their overall course attendance and participation in discussions in class (30% of the overall mark); 2) their seminar presentations in class (30% of the overall mark); 3) their final exam (40% of the overall mark).
Testi
The primary reading for the course will be: - Edward A. Alpers, The Indian Ocean in World History, Oxford University Press, 2014;
Further readings will be provided during the course.
Contenuti
After a general introduction to the Indian Ocean as a geographical and historical space, the course will be divided into three parts: 1) a historiographical introduction to Indian Oceans Studies; 2) An historical and cultural presentation of the Indian Ocean World, particular emphasis will be placed on the relations with Africa and the Red Sea; 3) The third part will analyzes the Indian Ocean from the '60 to present days through a series of case studies.
Lingua Insegnamento
INGLESE
Altre informazioni
Students are required to keep up with weekly readings, contribute to an informed discussion during classes and to maintain acceptable academic standards. Students are expected to attend regularly, and must provide reasonable justifications for any absences.