Lecture
‘Little’ Stories in ‘Big’ Histories. Families, Mobility, and Identity in the Indian Ocean
- Date
- Wednesday 10 December 2025
- Time
- Address
-
Lipsius
Cleveringaplaats 1
2311 BD Leiden - Room
- 2.27
The microhistory – a genre invented almost a half century ago – is making a resurgence in slavery studies and Indian Ocean history. Not every “little” story is a microhistory, but the best case-studies seek to recover subaltern experiences and perspectives, even as they shed light on wider themes in “big” history, such as transformation in migration, capitalism, labor and family.
Through several Indian Ocean family histories, we will explore the potential and limits of microhistorical projects. Which stories represent the “exceptional normal”? How can the subaltern perspective drive new inquiry? What, in the end, makes a good story?
All are welcome, but please register by emailing: forgottenlineages@hum.leidenuniv.nl
For more information, please see the conference page.
