CJS Noon Lecture Series | Island Societies and Maritime Networks between Ryukyu and Japan

Island Societies and Maritime Networks between Ryukyu and Japan: The Amami Islands, 1609-1878

Please note: This lecture will be held in person in room 747, Weiser Hall, and virtually on Zoom. The webinar is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Once you've registered, joining information will be sent to your email. Register for the Zoom webinar at: https://myumi.ch/kPrbk.

The Amami Islands were a transitional border zone between early modern Japan and Ryukyu. Following their invasion and annexation by the Satsuma domain in 1609, they were transformed into sugar-producing colonies of the domain. This lecture will examine how Satsuma integrated the islands into its regional trading network, extending from Naha to Osaka.

Thomas Monaghan received his Ph.D. in History from Yale University in May 2025. His dissertation is titled “The Satsuma Empire and its Sugar Colonies at the Edges of Early Modern Japan.” He is currently a Center for Japanese Studies Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Michigan.

This lecture is made possible with the generous support of the U.S. Department of Education Title VI grant.

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