scholarly journals Maintaining peace across ethnic lines: New lessons from the past

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saumitra Jha
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
17Th Century ◽  
Religious Tolerance ◽  
Peaceful Coexistence ◽  
Medieval Period ◽  
The Past ◽  
Indian Ocean Trade ◽  
Non Local ◽  
Over Time

This policy overview draws upon two studies, one theoretical and one empirical, to explore lessons from medieval Indian Ocean trade for supporting ethnic tolerance in contemporary settings. The overview begins by sketching a model of inter-ethnic trade and violence in environments where there are 'local' and 'non-local' ethnic groups. The model suggests that three conditions are necessary to support peaceful coexistence between these groups over time: Complementarities between groups, a high cost to replicate or expropriate the source of another group's complementarity, and a mechanism to share the gains from inter-group exchange. The article then describes how these conditions were satisfied among Hindu and Muslim traders in medieval Indian ports from the rise of Islam to European ascendance in the 17th century. The article characterizes the institutions that emerged to bolster religious tolerance in these towns during the medieval period and that continued to support religious tolerance two centuries after the decline of Muslim dominance in overseas trade. Finally, the article draws lessons from the theory and India's institutional legacy to understand why ethnic tolerance fails and how tolerance may be fostered in contemporary settings.

scholarly journals A sea surface temperature reconstruction for the southern Indian Ocean trade wind belt from corals in Rodrigues Island (19° S, 63° E)

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Zinke ◽  
L. Reuning ◽  
M. Pfeiffer ◽  
J. Wassenburg ◽  
E. Hardman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Sea Surface Temperature ◽  
El Niño ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Southern Indian Ocean ◽  
Trade Wind ◽  
The Past ◽  
Indian Ocean Trade

Abstract. The western Indian Ocean has been warming rapidly over the past decades and this has adversely impacted the Asian Monsoon circulation. It is therefore of paramount importance to improve our understanding of links between Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature (SST) variability, climate change, and sustainability of reef ecosystems. Here we present two monthly-resolved coral Sr/Ca records (Totor, Cabri) from Rodrigues Island (63° E, 19° S) in the south-central Indian Ocean trade wind belt, and reconstruct SST based on the linear relationship with the Sr/Ca proxy. The records extend to 1781 and 1945, respectively. We assess the reproducibility of the Sr/Ca records, and potential biases in our reconstruction associated with the orientation of corallites. We quantify long-term SST trends and identify interannual relationships with the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). We conclude that careful screening for diagenesis and orientation of corallites is of paramount importance to assess the quality of Sr/Ca-based SST reconstructions. Our proxy records provide a reliable SST reconstruction between 1945 and 2006. We identify strong teleconnections with the ENSO/PDO over the past 60 years, eg. warming of SST during El Niño or positive PDO. We suggest that additional records from Rodrigues Island can provide excellent records of SST variations in the southern Indian Ocean trade wind belt and teleconnections with the ENSO/PDO on longer time scales.

Европа в Азии и Азия в Европе: социокультурные представления жителей России о СевероЗападном Прикаспии в XIX – начале XX вв.

2020 ◽  
pp. 19-27
Author(s):  
Sergey S. Belousov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Caspian Sea ◽  
Religious Tolerance ◽  
Religious Groups ◽  
Peaceful Coexistence ◽  
Cultural Perceptions ◽  
Asian Origin ◽  
The North ◽  
Sea Area ◽  
North Western

The article focuses on socio-cultural perceptions of the north-western Caspian Sea area that were formed by people of Russia in the XIX and early XX century. It puts together the information from the Russian citizens who were travelling across Astrakhan province which at the time included the area in question. The study points out several most typical features that enable us to determine the way people living in Russia in the XIX and early XX century generally perceived the region in the socio-cultural sense. In the eyes of the contemporaries, Astrakhan province was, first of all, an under-populated, remote provincial part of the country which at the same time was seen as a border territory in a political and geographical sense – a certain kind of a bridge between Europe and Asia. The distinctive characteristic of the province was its multinational and multi-religious population, a great number of which were people of Asian origin. Different ethnic groups actively interacted and influenced each other, however, never mixed. The contemporaries also pointed out the peaceful coexistence of different religious groups, the relationships among which were built on the principle of non-interference and religious tolerance. The materials for the article are taken from the published sources.

Ndebele raiders and Shona power

1974 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 633-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. N. Beach
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
The State ◽  
The Political ◽  
The Past ◽  
Military Threat ◽  
Indian Ocean Trade ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
Economic Needs

For a variety of reasons the extent, number and severity of Ndebele raids upon the Shona-speaking peoples have been greatly exaggerated in the past. Moreover most studies of the Ndebele have failed to take into account the fact that the Ndebele conquered an already well-established Shona state with an economy linked with the Indian Ocean trade. This article seeks to show that the bulk of Ndebele raiding before 1873 was a response to both the political and military threat of the Changamire Rozvi dynasty and to the economic needs of the state that had been taken over. Even so, Ndebele raids were limited in extent and duration, and the two decades after 1873 saw a steady revival of Shona strength. In spite of Ndebele raids aimed at preventing this process, the independent Shona strengthened themselves by re-arming and ‘alliances’, and were able to take part in the eventual overthrow of the Ndebele kingdom.This article is a condensed version of a paper presented at the History Workshop, Gaborone, September 1973.

scholarly journals King tuna: Indian Ocean trade, offshore fishing, and coral reef resilience in the Maldives archipelago

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shreya Yadav ◽  
Ameer Abdulla ◽  
Ned Bertz ◽  
Alexander Mawyer
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Trade Networks ◽  
The Past ◽  
Indian Ocean Trade ◽  
Coral Reef Resilience ◽  
Reef Health ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Global Supplier ◽  
Tuna Fishery

Abstract The traditional offshore pole-and-line tuna fishery of the Maldives has historically promoted low levels of reef fishing in this archipelago. While the tuna fishery is old and extensive—some evidence suggests it has been in place for over a thousand years—the reasons for its development have not been closely examined. Why did an offshore fishery develop in such small and isolated islands with abundant and easily accessible nearshore reefs? Why is tuna considered the “king of fish” in the Maldives, in contrast to many other islands across the globe where reef fish are prized for a wide variety of cultural and social reasons, often deeply rooted in community histories? In this article, we use a historical approach to uncover some of the drivers of this fishery, and the long-term consequences it has had for the resilience of this island chain. We trace the written accounts of travellers, voyagers, and traders, in addition to more recent research to gain an understanding of how early Indian Ocean trade networks may have shaped the development of this fishery over time. We propose that the early growth of the tuna fishery was likely tied to the trade in money cowries (Monetaria moneta), of which the Maldives was a major global supplier. A regional demand and market for dried tuna from the fourteenth century onwards contributed to the income of Maldivians and promoted and supported reef health by encouraging relatively low levels of reef fishing. However, the emergence and substantial growth of the Maldivian tourist industry in the past few decades are resulting in a shift in local consumption preferences and increased exploitation of reef fisheries. Exploring this history is important, not only to help contextualize the modern governance of the offshore tuna fishery, but also for a more nuanced understanding of the social, cultural, and ecological dynamics that have shaped Maldivian coral reefs in the past with implications for those that will do so in the future.

Bridging Disconnected Seas

2020 ◽  
pp. 31-58
Author(s):  
Federico De Romanis
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Red Sea ◽  
Late Antiquity ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Future ◽  
Commercial Enterprise ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Over Time

This chapter is a review of how the challenges to the interchange between the Mediterranean and Red Seas were met during Antiquity. Over the centuries, the need to overcome the logistical problems posed by navigating the Red Sea, crossing the desert, and sailing the Nile in order to link the Mediterranean and Red Seas resulted in a series of different strategies for each stage of the journey. The fact that each combination could be deemed more suitable to a particular kind of business explains why, over time, one was chosen over another or why several were practised simultaneously. When the texts of the Muziris papyrus were written, Roman trade in the Indian Ocean was evolving from its Early Imperial forms to those of Late Antiquity. As in all transitional periods, there was a mix of old and new, of past and future. The past forms are attested by the Muziris papyrus itself, which still envisages a commercial enterprise involving a direct sea route to Muziris and a connection to the Mediterranean that comprises a limited Red Sea sailing, a desert crossing to Coptos, and a voyage down the Nile to Alexandria. The future forms were heralded by the opening of Trajan’s Canal.

scholarly journals How Important was the Presence of Elephants as a Determinant of the Zhizo Settlement of the Greater Mapungubwe Landscape?

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Forssman ◽  
Bruce Page ◽  
Jeanetta Selier
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
River Networks ◽  
Mammalian Herbivores ◽  
The Past ◽  
Indian Ocean Trade ◽  
Initial Settlement ◽  
Local Topography ◽  
Elephant Population ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
Elephant Ivory

The initial settlement of the Greater Mapungubwe Landscape by Zhizo ceramic-producing farmers around AD 900 is said to be linked to the large elephant population that the region once supported. Elephant ivory was used in the Indian Ocean trade network to obtain exotic trade goods such as glass beads and cloth. However, there has been no attempt to determine whether the local elephant population was large enough to support such trade endeavours. In this paper, we use an inter-disciplinary approach to establish a projection of the past elephant population and demonstrate that the ivory tonnage in the region, including that which could be recovered from natural carcasses, could have supported trade demand. We also argue that at the time of settlement the same environmental productivity supporting the elephant population provided an ecological system amenable to cultivation and could support domesticated livestock. In addition, the local topography, river networks and community of large mammalian herbivores contributed to the attractiveness of the region from a settlement perspective. We believe that the elephant population was only one component present on the landscape that attracted agriculturalists to settle in the area.

scholarly journals Comprehension of the concept of “life strategy” in culturological studies

2020 ◽  
pp. 68-78
Author(s):  
Mariya Vadimovna Vyrodova
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Social Experience ◽  
Life Strategy ◽  
The Past ◽  
The People ◽  
Evolution Of Life ◽  
Regional Specificity ◽  
History Of ◽  
Over Time

Although the term “life strategy” was introduced into the scientific circulation relatively recently, it immediately caught attention of psychologists and sociologists. “Life strategy” is also relevant to culturologists, as it touches upon the historical and social experience of the people, norms, values and ideals, driving motives in people's behavior with consideration of regional specificity. However, there is yet no comprehensive culturological research on the topic. The goal of this article the author’s attempt to summarize the existing dedicated to “life strategy” within the Russian and foreign humanities, as well as draw attention to this problematic. The research leans on the works of thinkers and philosophers of the past, as well as on the materials obtained by modern researchers. The selected chronological framework allows structuring the history of studying this topic, tracing the change of outlook upon it over time, as well as demonstrating the importance of studying the topic of “life strategy”. The conducted research indicates that initially the study of the concept of “life strategy” pertained to determination of the meaning of life of the entire civilizations, and only with the course of time, separate individuals became the objects of research.  In examination of the topic in question, the researchers dealing with the problems of culturology, first and foremost focus on the historical, ethnic, topographical and time aspects, evolution of life strategy among different ethnic groups, as well as gender component, gradually shifting away from the abstract and generalized analysis.

Southern Zambezia States and Indian Ocean Trade, 1450–1900

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malyn Newitt
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Civil Wars ◽  
17Th Century ◽  
16Th Century ◽  
Ruling Elite ◽  
Indian Ocean Trade ◽  
Great Zimbabwe

States that flourished in the area immediately south of the Zambesi River from the 15th to the 19th centuries were ruled by Karanga dynasties and were the cultural heirs of Great Zimbabwe. The most important of these states was Mokaranga, whose rulers bore the title of Monomotapa. Other important states—Teve, Manica, Barue, and Butua—all depended on the mining and trading of gold. Commerce was conducted at fairs attended by merchants from coastal towns such as Sofala and Chibuene, which were part of the networks of Indian Ocean commerce. At the beginning of the 16th century this trade attracted Portuguese traders who visited the fairs. In the 17th century, the Portuguese gradually expanded their presence through the institution of the prazos, whose owners acquired jurisdiction over extensive areas formerly ruled by the Karanga. The Portuguese were expelled from the Zimbabwe plateau in the 1690s and were succeeded by the Rosvi, another Karanga ruling elite. These states were devastated by droughts from the 1790s to the 1830s. All of them experienced civil wars before they were conquered by the Ngoni, who established the kingdom of Gaza, which covered the whole area south of the Zambesi as far as the Limpopo River until the time of the Scramble for Africa. Some of the old Karanga states, notably Manica and Barue, survived as tributaries of the Gaza state.

Classifying the Past: Discriminant Analysis and its Application to Medieval Farming Systems

1996 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Bartley
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Processing Time ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Frame Of Reference ◽  
Analytical Models ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Medieval Period ◽  
The Past ◽  
Livestock Management

This paper discusses the need for nationally based analytical models of the medieval period. The use of cluster analysis as a method for classifying demesne farms, by the crops they grew and their livestock management, is explained. Successful implementation of cluster analysis requires both the existence of a large base sample, to permit isolation of specific groupings within the data, and access to considerable processing time. The paper concludes by demonstrating how discriminant analysis can provide an efficient and systematic way of classifying even a single manor within a national frame of reference.

Interrogating the Constitutionality of Federal Character Principle in Nigeria

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (07) ◽  
pp. 20492-20498
Author(s):  
Aborisade Olasunkanmi ◽  
Christopher Agulanna
Keyword(s):  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Research Work ◽  
National Unity ◽  
The Past ◽  
The North ◽  
Inhibiting Factors

This work interrogates federal character principle (FCP) in Nigeria. The FCP was designed to fundamentally address the striking features of Nigeria politics of intense struggles for power among the different ethnic groups in the country between the elites from the North and their Southern counterparts and the various segments, but the practice of FCP in Nigeria so far raises curiosity and doubts. Given the outcome of the interrogation, this research work discovered and conclude that federal character has not indeed achieve its objective in the Nigeria, the study finds that Ethnocentrism, Elitism, Mediocrity, Mutual suspicion amongst others accounts for some inhibiting factors of the FCP in Nigeria. Like many other provisions of the Constitution, the Federal Character principle was meant to correct some imbalances experienced in the past, but it has created more problems than it has attempted to solve. Rather than promote national unity, it has disunited Nigerians. There is an urgent need to use more of professionals and result oriented Nigerians to carry out national tasks, than to use unprogressive people due to this "Federal character" issue. Nigeria should be a place where one's track records and qualifications are far greater than just "where they come from" or their lineage if Nigerian truly want to progress.

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