{"product_id":"chains-of-the-desert-matt-morissen-9798196727665","title":"Chains of the Desert: The Arab Slave Trade Unveiled: A Millennium of Forced Journeys, Suffering, and Resilience Across Africa and the Arab World","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"Chains of the Desert: The Arab Slave Trade Unveiled\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003c\/b\u003e by Matt Morissen (2026) offers a comprehensive exploration of the millennium-long history of the Arab slave trade. It aims to illuminate a historical chapter often overshadowed by the transatlantic trade, focusing on its immense scale, human suffering, and enduring legacy across Africa and the Arab world.\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eOrigins and Geography: \u003c\/b\u003e The trade began in antiquity, well before the rise of Islam, utilizing existing trans-Saharan caravan routes and Indian Ocean maritime networks. The Sahara's harsh topography and the Indian Ocean's monsoon cycles were active agents that dictated the rhythm and brutality of these journeys.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eMechanisms of Enslavement: \u003c\/b\u003e Enslavement was driven by violent raids, inter-tribal conflicts, and strategic entrapment. Mobile raiding parties targeted entire communities, leading to grueling forced marches across deserts and overcrowded voyages on maritime dhows.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eSocio-Political Landscape: \u003c\/b\u003e The trade was deeply embedded in the economic and political structures of early Islamic caliphates and African empires like Ghana and Mali. It involved a complex web of actors, including Arab merchants, local African rulers who participated for profit, and tribal intermediaries like the Berbers and Tuaregs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eRoles and Experiences: \u003c\/b\u003e Enslaved individuals-men, women, and children-filled diverse roles as domestic servants, concubines, agricultural laborers, and soldiers in major urban centers like Baghdad, Cairo, and Zanzibar.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eLegal and Religious Context: \u003c\/b\u003e Islamic law (Sharia) provided a framework for managing slavery, introducing rules for treatment and manumission while often justifying the enslavement of non-Muslims.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eLegacy and Resilience: \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eChains of the Desert \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eemphasizes that while the trade was a system of profound dehumanization, it was also marked by human resilience and resistance, most notably the Zanj Uprising. Its legacy continues to influence social hierarchies and identity politics today.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Matt Morissen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9798196727665\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Independently Published\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 05\/13\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 332\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.27lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 10.00h x 7.00w x 0.69d","brand":"Matt Morissen","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48801509015807,"sku":"9798196727665","price":29.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/chains-of-the-desert-matt-morissen-9798196727665","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}