Theoretical Groundings (1): Comparative Approaches to the History of Atlantic Slavery
Questions:
Comparative slavery/ Tannenbaum/ de la Fuente:
- According to Alejandro de la Fuente, what were the main comparative arguments made by Tannenbaum about slavery in the Americas?
- Why did Tannenbaum regard “Iberian” slavery as different?
- How have scholars refuted Tannenbaum's claims over the years?
- How, in de la Fuente’s view, might some of Tannenbaum’s arguments remain relevant for the history of slavery in Cuba?
- What do you think of his arguments?
Atlantic World approaches:
- How does Eltis’ approach differ from those of Tannenbaum and, following him, De la Fuente? Does Atlantic slave trading look different when considered in global perspective?
- What do you understand by the term “Atlantic World”? Is it a useful term?
Core readings:
De la Fuente, Alejandro. “Slave Law and Claims-making in Cuba: The Tannenbaum Debate Revisited.” Law and History Review, 22:2 (Summer 2004): 339-67.
Eltis, David. “Free and Coerced Migrations: the Atlantic in Global Perspective,” European Review, 12 (2004): 313-28.
Further reading:
Frank Tannenbaum, Slave & Citizen: The Negro in the Americas. A. Knopf, 1947.
Responses to de la Fuente (and his reply) by historians of Cuba in Law& History Review 22:2