Robin Law

Robin Law (born c. 1944) is a British historian specializing in pre-colonial West Africa, particularly the history of the Atlantic slave trade and the Oyo Empire. He is Emeritus Professor of African History at the University of Stirling in Scotland.

Law's research has focused on the political, social, and economic structures of West African societies before the era of European colonialism. He is known for his meticulous archival research and his critical engagement with existing historiography. His work often challenges conventional wisdom and offers nuanced interpretations of complex historical processes.

Key areas of Law's scholarship include:

• The Atlantic Slave Trade: Law has extensively researched the internal dynamics of the slave trade in West Africa, examining the roles played by African rulers and merchants in the process. He has argued that African participation in the trade was not simply a matter of coercion but also involved complex economic and political calculations.

• The Oyo Empire: He is considered a leading expert on the Oyo Empire, a powerful Yoruba kingdom in present-day Nigeria. His work has explored the empire's political organization, military strategies, and economic foundations.

• Pre-Colonial Warfare: Law has also studied the nature of warfare in pre-colonial West Africa, examining the types of weapons used, the strategies employed, and the social and political implications of conflict.

Major publications by Robin Law include:

• The Oyo Empire c. 1600-1836: A West African Imperialism in the Era of the Atlantic Slave Trade (1977)
• The Slave Coast of West Africa 1550-1750: The Impact of the European Slave Trade on the African Population (1991)
• Ouidah: The Social History of a West African Slaving Port, 1727-1892 (2004)
• The English in West Africa, 1681-1683: The Local Correspondence of the Royal African Company of England, 1681-1699 (2001) [edited]
• Warfare and Slavery in Pre-Colonial West Africa (2018)