The Azanian Sea was founded in 2009 as a web resource and online hub for information, inspiration and informed commentary on the African presence in the Indian Ocean. The name is derived from the famous 8th century travel document the Periplus of the Erythrean Sea and refers to the coastal areas of the Indian Ocean adjacent to Africa. The mission of The Azanian Sea is to provide high quality web content about Africa and the Indian Ocean and create spaces for cultural exchange and dialogue. The Indian Ocean has been called the 'cradle of globalization' and in our globally interconnected world, there is a need for spaces which discuss the impact of economic and social globalization and its impact on local culture. We believe in making knowledge relevant and illuminative— in bringing the academy to the streets of Dar-es-Salaam or to the souq in Muscat. Over the years, the blog has become a platform for theological and philosophical commentary on racism, whiteness, Christianity, Islam and world history.
The Azanian Sea is primarily run as a labor of love by Dr. Nathaniel Mathews, Assistant Professor of Africana Studies at Binghamton University. You may follow him on twitter for more information.