Edward Alpers
University of California, Los Angeles · History
Active 1965–2024
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About
Edward Alpers is a Research Professor in the UCLA Department of History. His academic focus is on eastern Africa and the Indian Ocean world, with particular attention to the political economy of international trade in precolonial eastern Africa and the cultural dimensions of these exchange systems within the broader context of the Indian Ocean. Alpers studied African History at Harvard College and earned his Ph.D. from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London in 1966, where he studied under Richard Gray. Before joining UCLA in 1968, he taught at the University of Dar es Salaam and conducted research in eastern Tanzania, as well as teaching at the Somali National University as a Fulbright Senior Scholar. Throughout his career, Alpers has contributed significantly to the field of African and Indian Ocean history, serving as President of the African Studies Association in 1994 and chairing its National Program Committee in 2001. His research and publications explore maritime history, the political and economic interactions across the Indian Ocean, and the history of slavery, piracy, and regional networks in East African waters. He has served as chair for sixty-two Ph.D. dissertations at UCLA and authored several books and articles that examine the historical dynamics of the Indian Ocean region, emphasizing its global interconnectedness and cultural exchanges.
Research topics
- Political Science
- Computer Science
- Sociology
- Ancient history
- Data science
- Archaeology
- Linguistics
- History
- Genealogy
- Ethnology
Selected publications
Seven Empire and Its Aftermath
2024-04-23
book-chapter1st authorCorresponding2024-04-23
book-chapter1st authorCorrespondingFour Indian Ocean Commodities: The Life of Spice
2024-04-23
book-chapter1st authorCorresponding2024-04-23
book-chapter1st authorCorresponding2024-04-23
book-chapterOpen access1st authorCorresponding
Frequent coauthors
- 300 shared
Roland Abiodun
University of Florida
- 300 shared
Cheryl Johnson-Odim
Dominican University
- 300 shared
Carol Eastman
Georgetown University
- 300 shared
Göran Hydén
University of Florida
- 300 shared
Robert Harms
Yale University
- 300 shared
Nancy J. Schmidt
- 300 shared
Carolyn Brown
- 300 shared
Robert Bates
Labs
Education
Ph.D.
School of Oriental and African Studies
B.A., African History
Harvard College
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