Rethinking Slavery

The Atlantic slave trade and slavery in the Americas dominate popular conceptions of slavery. In the Indian Ocean there were many different types of slavery that confound and enrich understanding of slavery as a global phenomenon and process. This chapter asks how the study of Indian Ocean slavery might help students think about Atlantic slavery. In addition to slavery, this chapter examines other forms of bondage, such as indentured and convict labor. It also raises questions about contemporary forms of bonded labor that some describe as modern slavery.