South Asians in East Africa, 1750-1970

This graduate seminar examines the intersection of two MESAAS areas, South Asia and Africa, examining the long-term economic, social, cultural and political links between South Asia and East Africa, largely through the experience of South Asian immigrants to East Africa. Although connections between the regions have occurred for millennia, we will focus primarily on period after 1750.  In addition to providing a general introduction to some of the themes and issues in the historiography, the course requires students to substantially engage with a range of primary source materials over the course of the term, from colonial archival documents, to newspapers, autobiographies and literature.