Slavery and Jihad in the Sudan

About the Book

Slavery and Jihad in the Sudan is not only a riveting narrative about the struggle against the slave trade and martyrdom of Charles Gordon at the hands of the Mahdi, but also an account of conditions during a period of great trauma.

Fred Thomas holds a PhD in social anthropology and has studied and worked in Sudan. He relies on his vast knowledge and personal experience to bring attention to a place and time in a unique part of the world where grass roots conditions in a tribal society have changed little over time, particularly in the vast expanses of rural Sudan. Thomas highlights the extraordinary personalities of the time by sharing anecdotes from explorers, Muslim holy men, Christian missionaries, foreign mercenaries, and slave traders. As Thomas recounts the legacy of Mahdism, he also includes haunting vestiges of earlier times within the atrocities currently occurring in Darfur, as well as an interesting correlation between ancient tribal and religious differences to their practical relevance in today’s world.

Compiled with fragments of conversations, captivating descriptions, and personal stories, Slavery and Jihad in the Sudan allows a glimpse into a fascinating period.

About the Author

Fred Thomas first visited Sudan at independence as a PhD graduate student and subsequently several times as a UN and voluntary agency consultant. He reads and speaks Arabic, Bengali and French. Based on his overseas experience, he has authored books on poverty in Calcutta. He now lives in Berkeley, California.