In Asian Waters: Oceanic Worlds from Yemen to Yokohama

Eric Tagliacozzo’s In Asian Waters: Oceanic Worlds from Yemen to Yokohama (2022) provides a profound examination of Asia’s historical maritime networks, exploring how the movement of people, goods, and ideas across the oceans has shaped the region’s interconnectedness. Through a lens of “mobility,” Tagliacozzo reconstructs the complex web of interactions that crisscrossed the Indian Ocean, South China Sea, and surrounding waters, illustrating how these exchanges created dynamic relationships that continue to influence Asia today. This review focuses on how the theme of “Asia through Mobility” is woven throughout the book, examining maritime trade, colonial expansion, cultural exchange, and environmental impacts to underscore the importance of mobility in understanding Asia’s past and present.

Part I: Early Maritime Trade and the Mobility of Goods

In the first section, Tagliacozzo introduces readers to the historical sea routes that connected Asia to the rest of the world, highlighting the role of maritime trade in shaping the region’s development. The South China Sea and Indian Ocean were not just passageways for goods but also served as zones of interaction between various cultures. Traders, smugglers, and pirates were all part of this maritime economy, facilitating mobility in unexpected ways. For example, illicit trade, such as the smuggling of goods across state boundaries, contributed to the flow of wealth and commodities, bypassing official controls. This underground economy, as discussed in the chapters on smuggling in the South China Sea, showcases how maritime routes allowed goods to move even in defiance of state regulations. The mobility of goods created an intricate web of dependencies and relationships, linking diverse regions from Yemen to China.

Part II: Colonialism and the Mobility of Power

In Part II, Tagliacozzo shifts focus to the colonial period, examining how European powers, particularly the British and Dutch, used maritime mobility to expand their influence in Asia. The British Raj and Dutch East Indies relied on sea power to control trade routes and enforce their imperial agendas. In particular, the British dominance in the Indian Ocean reshaped mobility in the region, as colonial powers established control over strategic maritime chokepoints. The ability to navigate and command these routes was crucial for projecting power across vast distances. Tagliacozzo highlights the imperial race for control over maritime spaces, noting how colonial powers transformed maritime mobility into an instrument of control, using their fleets to regulate trade, suppress piracy, and monitor indigenous movements. Through this lens, mobility is not merely a product of trade but also a mechanism of empire.

Part III: Religious Mobility and Cultural Exchange

Religion is another major theme in In Asian Waters, with Part III exploring how faiths such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam spread along Asia’s maritime routes. Religious mobility facilitated cultural exchange, with pilgrims, traders, and missionaries traveling across the seas, bringing their beliefs to new lands. Tagliacozzo illustrates how the spread of these religions was intertwined with the maritime networks that connected Southeast Asia to South Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. For instance, the movement of Islam through maritime trade routes reshaped the cultural landscapes of Indonesia and Malaysia, linking these regions to a broader Islamic world. This religious mobility created enduring cultural ties across the Indian Ocean, influencing everything from architecture to language. By tracing these routes, Tagliacozzo demonstrates how mobility facilitated not only the exchange of goods but also ideas, transforming the spiritual and cultural fabric of Asia.

Part IV: Port Cities and Urban Mobility

Tagliacozzo’s discussion of port cities in Part IV underscores the role of urban centers as hubs of mobility. Cities like Aden, Bombay, and Singapore became critical nodes in the maritime networks, serving as points of convergence for trade, migration, and cultural interaction. These cities were not merely locations of exchange but engines of mobility, propelling goods, people, and ideas across the seas. The growth of these urban centers was deeply connected to the rise of maritime trade, as they provided the infrastructure—ports, warehouses, and markets—that enabled the efficient movement of resources across vast distances. The development of port cities was also a colonial project, with European powers establishing key outposts to control the flow of goods and secure their economic interests. These cities became microcosms of global mobility, reflecting the broader dynamics of trade, migration, and imperialism.

Part V: Environmental Mobility and the Trade of Marine Products

In Part V, Tagliacozzo delves into the environmental dimension of maritime mobility, focusing on the trade of marine products such as pearls, sea cucumbers, and spices. The extraction and movement of these products across the seas played a significant role in connecting different regions of Asia. Pearls from the Persian Gulf, sea cucumbers from the Philippines, and spices from South India all found their way to distant markets, fueling a demand that shaped the economies of coastal communities. This environmental mobility not only moved goods but also transformed landscapes and ecosystems, as the pursuit of these valuable resources drove both local and global interactions. The ecological wealth of Asia, as Tagliacozzo argues, was a key driver of mobility, drawing traders and colonial powers alike to exploit the region’s natural bounty.

Part VI: Technological Advances and Surveillance

The final section of the book examines the role of technology in facilitating maritime mobility. Tagliacozzo explores how advances in navigation, mapping, and shipbuilding allowed both Asian and European powers to extend their reach across the seas. Technologies such as lighthouses and hydrographic mapping were not only tools for ensuring safe passage but also instruments of imperial surveillance and control. The construction of lighthouses across Southeast Asia, for instance, allowed colonial powers to monitor maritime traffic and enforce their authority over the seas. This technological mobility enabled European powers to exert dominance over Asia’s maritime spaces, transforming the region’s mobility from an organic flow of goods and people into a highly regulated system of control.

Conclusion: Asia Through Mobility

Tagliacozzo’s In Asian Waters masterfully demonstrates how mobility—of goods, people, ideas, and technologies—has been central to shaping Asia’s history. Through his exploration of maritime trade routes, religious exchange, colonial expansion, and environmental exploitation, Tagliacozzo highlights the importance of viewing Asia’s past through the lens of mobility. The seas that connect Asia are not mere barriers but conduits of interaction, linking distant regions into a dynamic and interconnected whole. By focusing on the theme of mobility, Tagliacozzo provides a rich and nuanced understanding of Asia’s maritime history, offering valuable insights into the forces that have shaped the region over centuries.

This focus on mobility reveals the fluid and evolving nature of Asia’s connections, showing how the region’s history is inseparable from its seas. In doing so, In Asian Waters offers readers a compelling vision of Asia as a place defined by its constant movement, a region where mobility has shaped its past and continues to influence its future.

Reference

Tagliacozzo, E. (2022). In Asian Waters: Oceanic Worlds from Yemen to Yokohama. Princeton University Press.