Course Synopsis:

Two streams of unfree transatlantic and transcontinental labor migrations are the primary focus of the course. The first is the forced migration of enslaved Africans to Europe’s American colonies, specifically, the Caribbean Islands, up to the 19th–century abolition of the slave trade. The second is the indentured (contract) labor migration of Indians following the abolition of the slave trade, again, to the Caribbean Isles. The course will explore the nature of the migrations, the experiences of the migrants and the general character of the contacts between the sending and the receiving populations. We will also look at the causes and the cessation of these forms of transoceanic and transcontinental labor mobilization, movement and utilization.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, student will have learned to:

• assess the local and global forces involved in the creation, distribution, maintenance and eradication of these labor types.
• apply the comparative historical method to elucidate concepts and explicate historical moments and forces relevant to the creation of the African and Indian diasporas in the Atlantic world.
• appreciate the different perspectives that inform the interpretation of historical texts and evidence regarding the use of indentured labor.
• practice critical reading, critical thinking, and critical analysis.

Prerequisites:

None.

Method of Evaluation and Weights:

Summary Analyses (best 4 of 5 ) - 40%
Reflection/Online Group Discussion (best 4) - 30%    
Final Essay - 30%    

Texts Required:

Links to assigned reading materials are supplied on Course Link or are otherwise freely available via PRIMO or Google search.

*Please note: This is a preliminary website description only. The department reserves the right to change without notice any information in this description. The final, binding course outline will be distributed in the first class of the semester.