Julian Cobbing
Encyclopedia
Julian Raymond Dennis Cobbing (born June 1944, London
) is an English
historian
, and professor
of History at Rhodes University
(Grahamstown
, South Africa
), known best for his controversial and groundbreaking research into Zulu culture of the early 19th century.
Cobbing gained a BA from the University of London
and a PhD from Lancaster University
. He is regarded as the first historian to discredit conventional historical beliefs about the 'Mfecane
' - a term used to describe a period of wars during the 1820s and 1830's that resulted in the emergence of the Zulu nation. In a paper published in the Journal of African History in 1988, Cobbing argued persuasively that the Mfecane had been the construct of Apartheid politicians and historians attempting to justify the longstanding oppression of black South Africans by their white colonisers. Instead of an internally-induced process of black-on-black destruction, Cobbing argued that much of the violence had been brought about by European slave traders and settlers, who had contracted local tribal leaders to capture slaves for sale at Delagoa Bay (now Maputo). The rise of the Zulu state, under Cobbing's hypothesis, was thus more of a defensive reaction to the slave-trading activities of other tribes in the region, than a process of active internal aggressive, as argued by most contemporary scholars.
Cobbing's hypothesis was highly controversial when first published. Indeed, several books and articles have been written focusing solely on rebutting Cobbing's arguments - most prominent perhaps is Roger B. Beck's "Slavery in South Africa: Captive Labor on the Dutch Frontier", which featured a collection of articles attempting to refute Cobbing's contentions. Often now referred to as the "Cobbing controversy", historians are still very much divided on the issue of the emergence of the Zulu nation and the accuracy of conventional accounts of the Mfecane. Most agree however that Cobbing's analysis offered several key breakthroughs, and offered a robust alternative to accounts of the Mfecane that had been taught in school history curricula during Apartheid.
Cobbing spent two months as a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford
in 2002. He currently lives in Grahamstown
, South Africa
, and lectures history at Rhodes University
. Cobbing's current work focuses on a variety of subjects including the history of homo sapiens as a species and the modern world crisis.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of History at Rhodes University
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public research university located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, established in 1904. It is the province’s oldest university, and is one of the four universities in the province...
(Grahamstown
Grahamstown
Grahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. The population of greater Grahamstown, as of 2003, was 124,758. The population of the surrounding areas, including the actual city was 41,799 of which 77.4% were black,...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
), known best for his controversial and groundbreaking research into Zulu culture of the early 19th century.
Cobbing gained a BA from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and a PhD from Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Lancaster University, officially The University of Lancaster, is a leading research-intensive British university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established by Royal Charter in 1964 and initially based in St Leonard's Gate until moving to a purpose-built 300 acre campus at...
. He is regarded as the first historian to discredit conventional historical beliefs about the 'Mfecane
Mfecane
Mfecane , also known by the Sesotho name Difaqane or Lifaqane, was a period of widespread chaos and warfare among indigenous tribes in southern Africa during the period between 1815 to about 1840....
' - a term used to describe a period of wars during the 1820s and 1830's that resulted in the emergence of the Zulu nation. In a paper published in the Journal of African History in 1988, Cobbing argued persuasively that the Mfecane had been the construct of Apartheid politicians and historians attempting to justify the longstanding oppression of black South Africans by their white colonisers. Instead of an internally-induced process of black-on-black destruction, Cobbing argued that much of the violence had been brought about by European slave traders and settlers, who had contracted local tribal leaders to capture slaves for sale at Delagoa Bay (now Maputo). The rise of the Zulu state, under Cobbing's hypothesis, was thus more of a defensive reaction to the slave-trading activities of other tribes in the region, than a process of active internal aggressive, as argued by most contemporary scholars.
Cobbing's hypothesis was highly controversial when first published. Indeed, several books and articles have been written focusing solely on rebutting Cobbing's arguments - most prominent perhaps is Roger B. Beck's "Slavery in South Africa: Captive Labor on the Dutch Frontier", which featured a collection of articles attempting to refute Cobbing's contentions. Often now referred to as the "Cobbing controversy", historians are still very much divided on the issue of the emergence of the Zulu nation and the accuracy of conventional accounts of the Mfecane. Most agree however that Cobbing's analysis offered several key breakthroughs, and offered a robust alternative to accounts of the Mfecane that had been taught in school history curricula during Apartheid.
Cobbing spent two months as a visiting fellow at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in 2002. He currently lives in Grahamstown
Grahamstown
Grahamstown is a city in the Eastern Cape Province of the Republic of South Africa and is the seat of the Makana municipality. The population of greater Grahamstown, as of 2003, was 124,758. The population of the surrounding areas, including the actual city was 41,799 of which 77.4% were black,...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, and lectures history at Rhodes University
Rhodes University
Rhodes University is a public research university located in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, established in 1904. It is the province’s oldest university, and is one of the four universities in the province...
. Cobbing's current work focuses on a variety of subjects including the history of homo sapiens as a species and the modern world crisis.