So far with this project I have looked more into Joseph Inikori argument online through JSTOR and finding out exactly where in the West of Africa trading for weapons and slaves where going on. I have not yet checked the book out since it was the weekend, but will do my best to get it this week or next week. Also I have looked at the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database and have found some places off the West coast of Africa showing where slaves embarked onto Portuguese and British ships to be sold.
Figure out exactly what Inikori is trying to say, figure out how he is using his evidence, and see if you can do the same thing with your own evidence. You've got some good initial work done, keep going...
So far I have been looking into Claude Meillassoux’s argument more in depth. I began my research very broad and I felt that I needed to narrow down my research to specific examples to make my argument more concrete. I have been reading more on Meillassoux’s argument through outside sources. I am now beginning to narrow down my results in the Trans Atlantic Slave Database to find more individual examples.
I love Claude, but you need to be aware of his school of thought. He is very much a Marxist anthropologist and he is looking at systems and placing names on them, like household mode of production. Make sure that you know the critiques are focused on his theoretical bent... This is going to be very interesting!!!!!1
So far I wrote a summary about David Eltis's The cultural roots of African slavery. Also I found a article called the price of slaves in JSTOR which give me some specific numbers of the price. I will looking for more sources about the effects of the price through JSTOR and check out the book“Slave population and economy in Jamaica”to complete my project.
My research to this point has consisted of using the Slave Trade Database to check Klein's 5% claim. I have been using all of the different variables to cross-reference and verify that number, because that is one of his most important pieces of information. I have done very basic research otherwise, mostly just skimming reviews of his research.
Don't get bogged down with trying to find specifics, because this is all variable anyway...you need to come up with your own actual argument. What do you think any of this means?
I have chosen to look further into David Brion Davis's argument on the origins of slavery in which he asserts by proof of slaves throughout history of all different skin tones and ethnicities that the development of the African slave trade was not a product of pre-Slave Trade prejudice, but instead it was a product of circumstance from the growth of the sugar plantation system fueled by African slave labor. In the argument, he admits proof of the prejudice growing as a result of a need to justify the system of slavery which was crafted for its economic possibilities, but still maintains the focus on the chronology of the development of this trade as opposed to the prejudice that justified it.
I have been spending a lot of time actually combing over the argument. It is pretty broad in its focus, giving a general overview of the history of slavery to prove its point that the enslavement of Slavic peoples predating African slavery and other non-African enslaved peoples throughout history goes to show African slavery is attributable to economic happenstance as opposed to racism. With this thorough combing, I have collected notes on what kind of Slave Trade Database evidence would be most instrumental, as the argument spans a greater range of slavery than just African slavery (a tricky attribute for this paper) and begun gathering that evidence.
I have also been researching his points of evidence that build his argument, attempting to further comprehend his argument by learning bits about the civilizations or peoples he mentions sporadically throughout.
Good. This sounds like you have a firm grasp of Davis's argument, now you need to figure out what YOU want to say about it all. Figure out something that you disagree with and see if you can find contrary evidence. This is a great start~
I have been reading "Slave hair and African American Culture in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries." I am going to write my paper based on this article. I want to see if I can correlate this article with any information in the David Northrup book. Also, I am looking for more references for my paper.
You have some work to do. Look up Jennifer Morgan's Some Could Suckle over their Shoulder" Anything by Barbara Bush, Hillary Beckles, or Rhonda Williams. You need a theoretical framework...don't be nervous by that...and then you can use what you are learning to make an argument. Keep it up!!!
So far with this project I have looked more into Joseph Inikori argument online through JSTOR and finding out exactly where in the West of Africa trading for weapons and slaves where going on. I have not yet checked the book out since it was the weekend, but will do my best to get it this week or next week. Also I have looked at the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database and have found some places off the West coast of Africa showing where slaves embarked onto Portuguese and British ships to be sold.
ReplyDeleteFigure out exactly what Inikori is trying to say, figure out how he is using his evidence, and see if you can do the same thing with your own evidence. You've got some good initial work done, keep going...
DeleteSo far I have been looking into Claude Meillassoux’s argument more in depth. I began my research very broad and I felt that I needed to narrow down my research to specific examples to make my argument more concrete. I have been reading more on Meillassoux’s argument through outside sources. I am now beginning to narrow down my results in the Trans Atlantic Slave Database to find more individual examples.
ReplyDeleteI love Claude, but you need to be aware of his school of thought. He is very much a Marxist anthropologist and he is looking at systems and placing names on them, like household mode of production. Make sure that you know the critiques are focused on his theoretical bent... This is going to be very interesting!!!!!1
DeleteSo far I wrote a summary about David Eltis's The cultural roots of African slavery. Also I found a article called the price of slaves in JSTOR which give me some specific numbers of the price. I will looking for more sources about the effects of the price through JSTOR and check out the book“Slave population and economy in Jamaica”to complete my project.
ReplyDeleteGood. Let's get wonky!
DeleteMy research to this point has consisted of using the Slave Trade Database to check Klein's 5% claim. I have been using all of the different variables to cross-reference and verify that number, because that is one of his most important pieces of information. I have done very basic research otherwise, mostly just skimming reviews of his research.
ReplyDeleteDon't get bogged down with trying to find specifics, because this is all variable anyway...you need to come up with your own actual argument. What do you think any of this means?
DeleteI have chosen to look further into David Brion Davis's argument on the origins of slavery in which he asserts by proof of slaves throughout history of all different skin tones and ethnicities that the development of the African slave trade was not a product of pre-Slave Trade prejudice, but instead it was a product of circumstance from the growth of the sugar plantation system fueled by African slave labor. In the argument, he admits proof of the prejudice growing as a result of a need to justify the system of slavery which was crafted for its economic possibilities, but still maintains the focus on the chronology of the development of this trade as opposed to the prejudice that justified it.
ReplyDeleteI have been spending a lot of time actually combing over the argument. It is pretty broad in its focus, giving a general overview of the history of slavery to prove its point that the enslavement of Slavic peoples predating African slavery and other non-African enslaved peoples throughout history goes to show African slavery is attributable to economic happenstance as opposed to racism. With this thorough combing, I have collected notes on what kind of Slave Trade Database evidence would be most instrumental, as the argument spans a greater range of slavery than just African slavery (a tricky attribute for this paper) and begun gathering that evidence.
I have also been researching his points of evidence that build his argument, attempting to further comprehend his argument by learning bits about the civilizations or peoples he mentions sporadically throughout.
Good. This sounds like you have a firm grasp of Davis's argument, now you need to figure out what YOU want to say about it all. Figure out something that you disagree with and see if you can find contrary evidence. This is a great start~
DeleteI have been reading "Slave hair and African American Culture in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries." I am going to write my paper based on this article. I want to see if I can correlate this article with any information in the David Northrup book. Also, I am looking for more references for my paper.
ReplyDeleteYou have some work to do. Look up Jennifer Morgan's Some Could Suckle over their Shoulder" Anything by Barbara Bush, Hillary Beckles, or Rhonda Williams. You need a theoretical framework...don't be nervous by that...and then you can use what you are learning to make an argument. Keep it up!!!
Delete