Oceans in Our Lives: Exploring Connections through Everyday Objects and Stories
9 – 12
October 2024
Humanities & Social Sciences
21 Days
About Project
In this project, students will explore the hidden connections between their daily lives and the world’s oceans. Through the lens of history, literature, and social sciences, they will trace the origins and journeys of everyday objects, food, or cultural practices that have crossed oceans to reach them. By doing so, they will uncover stories of movement, trade, and cultural exchange that have shaped the modern world. Through the project, the students will gain an understanding of how oceans connect people, goods, and ideas across time and space. They will appreciate the role of the ocean in shaping their lives in surprising and meaningful ways, fostering a renewed sense of connection with the world’s oceans and their place in their lives.
Expert Profile
Dr. Dilip Menon is a distinguished historian and professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, specializing in Indian Ocean studies, colonial history, and global intellectual traditions. His research explores themes of modernity, caste, postcolonial thought, and transnational history, offering critical insights into the intersections of politics, culture, and identity.
As the Director of the Centre for Indian Studies in Africa, Dr. Menon has led pioneering interdisciplinary research, fostering academic collaborations between South Asia and Africa. His extensive body of work includes influential publications on subaltern studies, migration, and the socio-political transformations in colonial and postcolonial societies.
A thought leader in historical and contemporary global studies, he is committed to expanding the understanding of non-Western intellectual traditions and challenging Eurocentric narratives in historical discourse. His scholarship continues to shape discussions on global South perspectives, decolonization, and knowledge production in the 21st century.
What Students Say?
