In Asian Waters: Oceanic Worlds from Yemen to Yokohama by Eric Tagliacozzo (review)

Abstract

The book of E. Tagliacozzo is a tour de force that offers a broad historical and geographic perspective of oceanic interlinkages from Japan to East Africa that evolved long before the arrival of European powers to the macro-region in the sixteenth century. His analysis is focused on the maritime framework and is distributed in six parts, literally: (1) the maritime connections, (2) bodies of water, (3) religion, (4) cities and the sea, (5) the bounty of the oceans, and (6) technologies of the sea. Each of the six sections has a brief introduction, followed by two specific chapters. The book contains 14 chapters, 13 figures, 13 tables, and 14 maps. The author blends different research method which he had previously demonstrated elsewhere in his writings on Southeast Asian history. In this sense, his use of archaeological, anthropological, and sociological perspectives enriches the current historical interpretation, which, unfortunately, tends to be limited to micro-analysis of political or economic aspects. The interviews made by the author when visiting places between East Africa and East Asia are a welcomed contribution.