A public lecture by Giorgio Riello, Professor of Early Modern Global History, European University Institute)

In this lecture, Professor Rielo explores European “factories” - commercial outposts in Africa and Asia (1500–1800). About 200 were built across the Indian Ocean and China Sea, functioning in storage, accounting, procurement, retailing, exporting, intelligence gathering, and military defense. The talk situates these factories within the history of early modern capitalism.

Presented by the Office of Provost for Global Affairs in conjunction with the Department of History, Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, Middle East and South Asia Studies Program, Department of Art, and Contemporary Global Studies Minor