Connected Heritages: The Inner Life of Penang in the Indian Ocean World opens up the interdisciplinary possibilities of transnational and oceanic historical inquiry paired with granular ethnographic research. Departing from conventional land- and nation-centric approaches, the book situates Penang, Malaysia – and particularly its historic core, George Town – within the fluid realm of lateral networks, revealing the profound influence of the sea on the port city’s political, economic, social and cultural landscape.

It does so by integrating ethnographic depth, offering readers an intimate and immersive journey into the lived experiences of George Town’s diverse communities, notably its two major Peranakan groups, with a broader historical and transnational understanding of the circulations that have shaped the inner life of the port city.

Through the careful observation and interpretation of everyday practices, habits and stories, this singular study paints a vivid portrait of the port city’s complex connections and identities shaped by its maritime connections. In doing so, the book offers an anthropology of the everyday and its utility for developing our understanding of the ways in which people and communities in Penang perceive and interpret their contemporary reality.