On the Frontiers of the Indian Ocean World
A History of Lake Tanganyika, c.1830-1890

The first history of Lake Tanganyika and of eastern Africa's relationship with the wider Indian Ocean World during the nineteenth century.

Philip Gooding (Author)

9781009100748, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 4 August 2022

266 pages
23.5 x 15.7 x 2 cm, 0.54 kg

'While there is a voluminous scholarly conversation on the relationship between the East African Coast and its hinterlands, Philip Gooding's deeply researched book is something different and welcome. … Gooding's work suggests … that Indian Ocean history is not merely a question of geography but also one of method - of engagement with a set of sources, debates, and concepts that have shown to be generative and modular, illuminative of shared experiences across littoral zones. This book is an important demonstration of this methodical dexterity and creativity and should be read by scholars the ocean around.' Robert M. Rouphail, The American Historical Review

This is the first interdisciplinary history of Lake Tanganyika and of eastern Africa's relationship with the wider Indian Ocean World during the nineteenth century. Philip Gooding deploys diverse source materials, including oral, climatological, anthropological, and archaeological sources, to ground interpretations of the better-known, European-authored archive in local epistemologies and understandings of the past. Gooding shows that Lake Tanganyika's shape, location, and distinctive lacustrine environment contributed to phenomena traditionally associated with the history of the wider Indian Ocean World being negotiated, contested, and re-imagined in particularly robust ways. He adds novel contributions to African and Indian Ocean histories of urbanism, the environment, spirituality, kinship, commerce, consumption, material culture, bondage, slavery, Islam, and capitalism. African peoples and environments are positioned as central to the histories of global economies, religions, and cultures.

Introduction: Lakes, oceans, and littorals in history
Part I. Demarcations of Space: 1. The growth of 'emporia'
2. Changing land use in a changing climate
3. Traversing the lake
Part II. Interactions: 4. Competition and conflict on the western frontier
5. Global commodities in East African societies
6. Structures of bondage
7. An Islamic sea
Epilogue: The littoral and the lake.

Subject Areas: African history [HBJH]