LSHH Online Research Seminar: Dr Sarah Longair, ‘‘A spot in a world of waters’: Imagining and collecting Indian Ocean islands in the age of empire’

You are warmly invited to the second LSHH research seminar of 2022–23, on Wednesday 14th December 5-6pm.

Dr Sarah Longair (Lincoln) will be giving a talk titled ‘‘A spot in a world of waters’: Imagining and collecting Indian Ocean islands in the age of empire.’

This seminar was due to take place in-person, but due to the train strikes planned for week 11, we have moved the event online so that more people can attend. Click here to join.

Abstract: This paper takes small Indian Ocean islands, often seen as peripheral, as its focus. By 1900, many of the western Indian Ocean’s islands were ruled by Britain. During the late nineteenth century, significant collections of objects were made from these islands, part of the wider process of attempting to understand and control imperial territories. Through the stories of three objects, this paper will explore these collections and their collectors to show how the varied material cultures of these islands offer insights into insularity and maritime connection in the modern era. Examples will be drawn from Zanzibar, Seychelles and the Maldives to show how these diverse island contexts and histories influenced the kinds of objects created and collected. It will also examine British collecting practice to expose the impact of insularity on imperial control and the limits of British knowledge of these island cultures.

All are welcome! Please contact Laura Gill (Lecturer in English) with any questions (lgill@lincoln.ac.uk).

Story submitted by Laura Gill
lgill@lincoln.ac.uk