Beyond the Atlantic Paradigm: Slavery in Comparative Perspective

In my introductory remarks and roundtable contribution, I framed the conference within ongoing efforts to move beyond the Atlantic paradigm that has long structured the study of slavery. Drawing on the conceptual foundations of the TraSIS and TraIL projects, I emphasized the importance of integrating Islamic legal, social, and intellectual histories into broader comparative discussions on slavery, labour, and coercion. I highlighted key analytical categories such as trajectories of slavery and strong asymmetrical dependencies as tools for bridging disciplinary and regional divides. By placing recent scholarship on Islamicate and African contexts in dialogue, the conference underscored the need to rethink methodological approaches, address historiographical silences, and develop comparative frameworks that preserve difference while enabling meaningful cross-contextual analysis.