The U. H.

Mnoa History Department

and
The Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society
present
Comparing Abolition Across the Indian Ocean
A History Forum Lecture By
Prof. Kerry Ward
Department of History
Rice University
Friday, October 2nd
12:302:00 p.m.
Sakamaki Hall A201
History Department Library
University of Hawaii at Mnoa
Free and Open to the Public
This talk compares responses in Cape Town and the Straits Settlements to the long process
of the abolition of the slave trade and slavery in the western and eastern Indian Ocean
during the nineteenth century. Formal abolition sparked debates about the meaning of
slavery and free labor as the British Empire expanded in both southern Africa and
Southeast Asia. How did colonists and colonial administrators view and respond to
abolition locally, as questions were raised about the limits of imperial sovereignty in
maritime realms. This paper also suggests that increasing public campaigns against the
forced migration of women and girls provide historical precedents to current debates
around human trafficking.

For further information, please contact Prof. Peter H. Hoffenberg 956-8497