South Asia

History

Towards a book history of the Indian Ocean world

The circulation of texts across borders before the printing press remains largely unexplored. The Indian Ocean world is a case in point: it reveals many fascinating life stories of Islamic books.

All of one place: A Muslim saint, a converted Hindu princess, and a Hindu deity

Ethnic and religious antagonisms are not givens, but the outcome of historical and political processes. Borders, as human-made conveyors of state-oriented conceptual frameworks, play a central role in shaping these.