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Gwyn Campbell

McGill University, Indian Ocean World Centre, Faculty Member

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Gwyn Campbell was born in Madagascar, and raised in Wales. He holds degrees in economic history from the universities of Birmingham and Wales, was an academic consultant for South Africa in inter-governmental negotiation resulting in the formation of an Indian Ocean regional association in 1997, held a Canada Research Chair in Indian Ocean World History at McGill University from 2005-19, a Humboldt Award from 2017-19, and currently directs a Canadian-funded Partnership grant investigating the history of environmental crises in the Indian Ocean World. His publications include Africa and the Indian Ocean World from early times to 1900 (Cambridge, 2019), David Griffiths and the Missionary “History of Madagascar” (Brill, 2012), and An Economic History of Imperial Madagascar, 1750-1895 (Cambridge, 2005). He is founding Director of the Indian Ocean World Centre at McGill University, General Editor of the Palgrave Series in Indian Ocean World Studies, and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Indian Ocean World Studies.

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Papers by Gwyn Campbell

Perceptions and Representations of the Malagasy Environment

Springer eBooks, 2023

MADAGASCAR REVISITED A History of Madagascar. By MERVYN BROWN. Ipswich: Damien Tunnacliffe, 1995. Pp. viii + 408. £12.95, paperback (ISBN 0950-62845-X)

The Journal of African History, Mar 1, 1997

This work is a fascinating hybrid. The first half (pp. 1–240) comprises an updated version of Mad... more This work is a fascinating hybrid. The first half (pp. 1–240) comprises an updated version of Madagascar Rediscovered, published by the same author in 1978, covering the history of Madagascar from a British perspective up to the French conquest of 1895. The justification for the 1978 work was twofold: the sparsity of modern literature in English on the history of Madagascar and the considerable, yet underrated, British influence there prior to 1895. The title of the book currently under review indicates a much more ambitious aim – that of presenting a general history of Madagascar. In this light, the revision only partially rectifies the bias of Madagascar Rediscovered.

The Travels of Robert Lyall, 1789–1831

Springer eBooks, 2020

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more

Currencies of the Indian Ocean World

Springer eBooks, 2019

This is the first scholarly series devoted to the study of the Indian Ocean world from early time... more This is the first scholarly series devoted to the study of the Indian Ocean world from early times to the present day. Encouraging interdisciplinarity, it incorporates and contributes to key debates in a number of areas including history, environmental studies, anthropology, sociology, political science, geography, economics, law, and labor and gender studies. Because it breaks from the restrictions imposed by country/regional studies and Eurocentric periodization, the series provides new frameworks through which to interpret past events, and new insights for present-day policymakers in key areas from labor relations and migration to diplomacy and trade.

Commercialisation of Cattle in Imperial Madagascar, 1795–1895

Springer eBooks, 2020

This chapter examines the role of cattle in Madagascar during the Imperial Merina era from c. 179... more This chapter examines the role of cattle in Madagascar during the Imperial Merina era from c. 1795 to 1895, notably in the central highland region of Imerina where the island’s capital, Antananarivo, is situated. The Merina, the inhabitants of Imerina, traditionally raised few cattle. However, military expansion permitted them to capture cattle from the pastoral peoples who occupied the plains at lower altitude, notably in the south and west of the island. This occurred simultaneously with the development of a plantation economy on neighbouring Mascarene Islands of Mauritius and Reunion. The chapter discusses the traditional significance attached to cattle, then analyses in what ways, both ritually and commercially, their role changed with the rise both of the Merina Empire and of the sugar plantation economy on the Mascarenes.

Bonded Labour and Debt in the Indian Ocean World

Routledge eBooks, Oct 6, 2015

Piracy in the Indian Ocean World

Interventions: International Journal of Postcolonial Studies, Jul 11, 2014

This essay argues that the prevailing Eurocentric view of Indian Ocean World (IOW) history ignore... more This essay argues that the prevailing Eurocentric view of Indian Ocean World (IOW) history ignores the early rise and development of an IOW global economy characterized by a sophisticated and durable system of maritime exchange from Africa to the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Far East. The economic cycles of this economy largely regulated maritime commerce and with it the incidence of piracy. There appears a clear correlation between the upturns in the IOW global economy and piratical activity, but piracy also appears to have increased during downturns in that economy, possibly as a reflection of economic uncertainty. Contrary to conventional assumptions, it also appears clear that pirate activity required significantly more investment in ships, arms and men than individuals or poor communities could afford. The bulk of indigenous IOW pirate activity was directly sponsored by local land-based authorities, and operated under a command hierarchy with military discipline and organization. Pirates gained a share of any loot, and in at least one instance, the widows of pirates killed in action were compensated. In sum, this essay challenges the conventional wisdom on piracy in the IOW and attempts to lay the basis for an alternative viewpoint that calls for more profound and non-Eurocentric research.

The Origins and Development of Coffee Production in Réunion and Madagascar, 1711–1972

Cambridge University Press eBooks, Jun 16, 2003

SIDALC - Servicio de Informacion y Documentacion Agropecuaria de las Americas.

The European Impact in Indian Ocean Africa, 1500 to 1830

Cambridge University Press, Jul 1, 2019

The Indian Ocean Rim

Missionaries and Fanompoana in late nineteenth century Madagascar

Wine, Society, and Globalization

Palgrave Macmillan US eBooks, 2007

Africa in the Making of an IOW Global Economy

Cambridge University Press, Jul 1, 2019

The Cocoa Frontier in Madagascar, the Comoro Islands and Réunion, c. 1820–1970

Cocoa Pioneer Fronts since 1800, 1996

The western Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar, the Comoros and Reunion (see Figure 11.1) in many... more The western Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar, the Comoros and Reunion (see Figure 11.1) in many ways formed an exception amongst world cocoa producers. Not only were they marginal in terms of world output, but cocoa was never more than a minor local cash crop. In 1923, for example, cocoa was only the sixteenth most important agricultural product in Madagascar in terms of area of cultivation. Its 1238 hectares compared unfavourably with 30 045 hectares for coffee and 22 723 hectares for vanilla (Julien, 1926, 109).

Domestic Demand and Export Imperatives for French and Australian Wines

Wine, Society, and Globalization, 2007

France is historically the world’s top producer of a wide range of fine wines. Its Bordeaux wines... more France is historically the world’s top producer of a wide range of fine wines. Its Bordeaux wines have dominated British and other northern European markets since at least the founding of the Angevin empire in 1154. In 2006, it was still the world’s largest producer of wine (4,636 million liters), followed by Italy (4,409 million liters), and Spain (4,280 million liters).1 However, France’s wine-growing sector is in crisis, and its position as a pre-eminent wine exporter is increasingly challenged by other wine-producing countries. One of its major competitors is Australia. The world’s fastest growing economy behind Ireland in the 1990s, with an average growth rate of nearly 4 percent a year (4.3 percent in 1999).2 Australia was not traditionally known as a wine producer. Nevertheless, by 2006 it was the world’s seventh biggest producer of wine (1,019 million liters),3 fiercely competing with France for top export markets. This chapter examines the historical trends in the domestic market for French and Australian wines, and the consequences in terms of export strategy, focusing upon their competition for the British market.

2. Servitude and the Changing Face of the Demand for Labor in the Indian Ocean World, c. 1800–1900

Indian Ocean Slavery in the Age of Abolition, 2017

Malagasy empires (Sakalava and Merina)

The Encyclopedia of Empire, 2016

Structure of Slavery in Indian Ocean Africa and Asia

Slavery - A Question of Definition A Forgotten Corner of the Indian Ocean - Gujarati Merchants, P... more Slavery - A Question of Definition A Forgotten Corner of the Indian Ocean - Gujarati Merchants, Portuguese India and the Mozambique Slave-Trade, c.1730-1830 The Mascarene Slave-Trade and Labour Migration in the Indian Ocean during the 18th and 19th Centuries Flight to Freedom - Escape from Slavery among Bonded Africans in the Indian Ocean World, c.1750-1962 Violent Capture of People for Exchange on Karen-Tai Borders in the 1830s Human Capital, Slavery and Low Rates of Economic and Population Growth in Indonesia, 1600-1910 Forced Labour Mobilization during the World War II The Structure of Slavery in the Sulu Zone in the Late 18th and 19th Centuries Slavery and Colonial Representations in Indochina from the Second Half of the 19th to the Early 20th Centuries Slaves and Forms of Slavery in Late Imperial China (17th to Early 20th Centuries) Nobi - A Korean System of Slavery A Theme in Variations - A Historical Schema of Slaving in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions.

Imperial rivalry in the western indian ocean and schemes in colonised Madagascar, 1769-1826

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), May 1, 1998

Trading posts at Toamasina and Mahavelona-captured by British. Seized French trading posts at Toa... more Trading posts at Toamasina and Mahavelona-captured by British. Seized French trading posts at Toamasina and Mahavelonaabandoned due to malaria. Mauritian colony in Angongil Bay-massacred by Malagasy. Temporary occupation of Toamasina and Mahavelona. Unsuccessful attempt by Mauritian settlers to establish plantations near toamasina. Mauritian colony in Antongil Bay-abandoned due to malaria. Treaties establish British presence in Imerina-General Hall on Mauritius refuses ratification. French posts on east coast : Tintingue & Fort Dauphin seized by Merina 1822-5 but Nosy Boraha retained by French. Treaty with Imerina grants right of seulement in Madagascar to British subjects.

Contest for Land in Madagascar: Environment, Ancestors, and Development. Edited by Sandra J. T. M. Evers, Gwyn Campbell, and Michael Lambek

Environmental History, 2014

Perceptions and Representations of the Malagasy Environment

Springer eBooks, 2023

MADAGASCAR REVISITED A History of Madagascar. By MERVYN BROWN. Ipswich: Damien Tunnacliffe, 1995. Pp. viii + 408. £12.95, paperback (ISBN 0950-62845-X)

The Journal of African History, Mar 1, 1997

This work is a fascinating hybrid. The first half (pp. 1–240) comprises an updated version of Mad... more This work is a fascinating hybrid. The first half (pp. 1–240) comprises an updated version of Madagascar Rediscovered, published by the same author in 1978, covering the history of Madagascar from a British perspective up to the French conquest of 1895. The justification for the 1978 work was twofold: the sparsity of modern literature in English on the history of Madagascar and the considerable, yet underrated, British influence there prior to 1895. The title of the book currently under review indicates a much more ambitious aim – that of presenting a general history of Madagascar. In this light, the revision only partially rectifies the bias of Madagascar Rediscovered.

The Travels of Robert Lyall, 1789–1831

Springer eBooks, 2020

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more

Currencies of the Indian Ocean World

Springer eBooks, 2019

This is the first scholarly series devoted to the study of the Indian Ocean world from early time... more This is the first scholarly series devoted to the study of the Indian Ocean world from early times to the present day. Encouraging interdisciplinarity, it incorporates and contributes to key debates in a number of areas including history, environmental studies, anthropology, sociology, political science, geography, economics, law, and labor and gender studies. Because it breaks from the restrictions imposed by country/regional studies and Eurocentric periodization, the series provides new frameworks through which to interpret past events, and new insights for present-day policymakers in key areas from labor relations and migration to diplomacy and trade.

Commercialisation of Cattle in Imperial Madagascar, 1795–1895

Springer eBooks, 2020

This chapter examines the role of cattle in Madagascar during the Imperial Merina era from c. 179... more This chapter examines the role of cattle in Madagascar during the Imperial Merina era from c. 1795 to 1895, notably in the central highland region of Imerina where the island’s capital, Antananarivo, is situated. The Merina, the inhabitants of Imerina, traditionally raised few cattle. However, military expansion permitted them to capture cattle from the pastoral peoples who occupied the plains at lower altitude, notably in the south and west of the island. This occurred simultaneously with the development of a plantation economy on neighbouring Mascarene Islands of Mauritius and Reunion. The chapter discusses the traditional significance attached to cattle, then analyses in what ways, both ritually and commercially, their role changed with the rise both of the Merina Empire and of the sugar plantation economy on the Mascarenes.

Bonded Labour and Debt in the Indian Ocean World

Routledge eBooks, Oct 6, 2015

Piracy in the Indian Ocean World

Interventions: International Journal of Postcolonial Studies, Jul 11, 2014

This essay argues that the prevailing Eurocentric view of Indian Ocean World (IOW) history ignore... more This essay argues that the prevailing Eurocentric view of Indian Ocean World (IOW) history ignores the early rise and development of an IOW global economy characterized by a sophisticated and durable system of maritime exchange from Africa to the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Far East. The economic cycles of this economy largely regulated maritime commerce and with it the incidence of piracy. There appears a clear correlation between the upturns in the IOW global economy and piratical activity, but piracy also appears to have increased during downturns in that economy, possibly as a reflection of economic uncertainty. Contrary to conventional assumptions, it also appears clear that pirate activity required significantly more investment in ships, arms and men than individuals or poor communities could afford. The bulk of indigenous IOW pirate activity was directly sponsored by local land-based authorities, and operated under a command hierarchy with military discipline and organization. Pirates gained a share of any loot, and in at least one instance, the widows of pirates killed in action were compensated. In sum, this essay challenges the conventional wisdom on piracy in the IOW and attempts to lay the basis for an alternative viewpoint that calls for more profound and non-Eurocentric research.

The Origins and Development of Coffee Production in Réunion and Madagascar, 1711–1972

Cambridge University Press eBooks, Jun 16, 2003

SIDALC - Servicio de Informacion y Documentacion Agropecuaria de las Americas.

The European Impact in Indian Ocean Africa, 1500 to 1830

Cambridge University Press, Jul 1, 2019

The Indian Ocean Rim

Missionaries and Fanompoana in late nineteenth century Madagascar

Wine, Society, and Globalization

Palgrave Macmillan US eBooks, 2007

Africa in the Making of an IOW Global Economy

Cambridge University Press, Jul 1, 2019

The Cocoa Frontier in Madagascar, the Comoro Islands and Réunion, c. 1820–1970

Cocoa Pioneer Fronts since 1800, 1996

The western Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar, the Comoros and Reunion (see Figure 11.1) in many... more The western Indian Ocean islands of Madagascar, the Comoros and Reunion (see Figure 11.1) in many ways formed an exception amongst world cocoa producers. Not only were they marginal in terms of world output, but cocoa was never more than a minor local cash crop. In 1923, for example, cocoa was only the sixteenth most important agricultural product in Madagascar in terms of area of cultivation. Its 1238 hectares compared unfavourably with 30 045 hectares for coffee and 22 723 hectares for vanilla (Julien, 1926, 109).

Domestic Demand and Export Imperatives for French and Australian Wines

Wine, Society, and Globalization, 2007

France is historically the world’s top producer of a wide range of fine wines. Its Bordeaux wines... more France is historically the world’s top producer of a wide range of fine wines. Its Bordeaux wines have dominated British and other northern European markets since at least the founding of the Angevin empire in 1154. In 2006, it was still the world’s largest producer of wine (4,636 million liters), followed by Italy (4,409 million liters), and Spain (4,280 million liters).1 However, France’s wine-growing sector is in crisis, and its position as a pre-eminent wine exporter is increasingly challenged by other wine-producing countries. One of its major competitors is Australia. The world’s fastest growing economy behind Ireland in the 1990s, with an average growth rate of nearly 4 percent a year (4.3 percent in 1999).2 Australia was not traditionally known as a wine producer. Nevertheless, by 2006 it was the world’s seventh biggest producer of wine (1,019 million liters),3 fiercely competing with France for top export markets. This chapter examines the historical trends in the domestic market for French and Australian wines, and the consequences in terms of export strategy, focusing upon their competition for the British market.

2. Servitude and the Changing Face of the Demand for Labor in the Indian Ocean World, c. 1800–1900

Indian Ocean Slavery in the Age of Abolition, 2017

Malagasy empires (Sakalava and Merina)

The Encyclopedia of Empire, 2016

Structure of Slavery in Indian Ocean Africa and Asia

Slavery - A Question of Definition A Forgotten Corner of the Indian Ocean - Gujarati Merchants, P... more Slavery - A Question of Definition A Forgotten Corner of the Indian Ocean - Gujarati Merchants, Portuguese India and the Mozambique Slave-Trade, c.1730-1830 The Mascarene Slave-Trade and Labour Migration in the Indian Ocean during the 18th and 19th Centuries Flight to Freedom - Escape from Slavery among Bonded Africans in the Indian Ocean World, c.1750-1962 Violent Capture of People for Exchange on Karen-Tai Borders in the 1830s Human Capital, Slavery and Low Rates of Economic and Population Growth in Indonesia, 1600-1910 Forced Labour Mobilization during the World War II The Structure of Slavery in the Sulu Zone in the Late 18th and 19th Centuries Slavery and Colonial Representations in Indochina from the Second Half of the 19th to the Early 20th Centuries Slaves and Forms of Slavery in Late Imperial China (17th to Early 20th Centuries) Nobi - A Korean System of Slavery A Theme in Variations - A Historical Schema of Slaving in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions.

Imperial rivalry in the western indian ocean and schemes in colonised Madagascar, 1769-1826

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), May 1, 1998

Trading posts at Toamasina and Mahavelona-captured by British. Seized French trading posts at Toa... more Trading posts at Toamasina and Mahavelona-captured by British. Seized French trading posts at Toamasina and Mahavelonaabandoned due to malaria. Mauritian colony in Angongil Bay-massacred by Malagasy. Temporary occupation of Toamasina and Mahavelona. Unsuccessful attempt by Mauritian settlers to establish plantations near toamasina. Mauritian colony in Antongil Bay-abandoned due to malaria. Treaties establish British presence in Imerina-General Hall on Mauritius refuses ratification. French posts on east coast : Tintingue & Fort Dauphin seized by Merina 1822-5 but Nosy Boraha retained by French. Treaty with Imerina grants right of seulement in Madagascar to British subjects.

Contest for Land in Madagascar: Environment, Ancestors, and Development. Edited by Sandra J. T. M. Evers, Gwyn Campbell, and Michael Lambek

Environmental History, 2014

The Role of the London Missionary Society in the Rise of the Merina Empire, 1810-1861

thesis vol.1, 1985