Religion, commerce, and the integration of the Mandingo in Liberia

Abstract

This book contributes significantly to the body of knowledge that deals with the Mande-speaking people of West Africa. It deals with the impact of religion and commerce on the integration of the Mandingo ethnic group into the political and social economies of Liberia. The author explains both the course and costs of socio-political integration of the Mandingos in the context of nation-building and their co-habitation with non-Muslim hosts. The religion of Islam in relation to the commercial activities of the Mande-speaking people is discussed in detail. While a great deal of research has been done on the Mandingo in other areas of Africa, no comparable body of research exists on the Mandingo of Liberia.