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India in the Indian Ocean World pp 161–188Cite as

The World of Africa

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Abstract

This chapter highlights the African world, focusing on East Africa, the Horn of Africa, Arabia and their links with Mediterranean societies and with India and the Indian Ocean. The biological, political, economic and cultural roles of Africa in the Indian Ocean world were downplayed, or even ignored in scholarly tradition for long. K.N. Chaudhuri’s Trade and Civilisation in the Indian Ocean and Asia before Europe disregarded Africa, privileging West Asia, India and China. Das Gupta and Pearson’s India and the Indian Ocean likewise highlighted India’s position in the Indian Ocean. In this century, a whole new generation of scholars have started interrogating Africa’s role in Indian Ocean history, positioning Africa firmly within the Indian Ocean world.

Keywords

  • Aden
  • Socotra
  • Axum
  • Adulis
  • Cairo
  • Arabia
  • Islamic Mediterranean
  • Fatimid
  • Mamluk
  • Ottoman

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  1. Department of History, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

    Rila Mukherjee

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Mukherjee, R. (2022). The World of Africa. In: India in the Indian Ocean World. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6581-3_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6581-3_6

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