{"product_id":"stones-of-contention-a-history-of-africas-diamonds-9780821421000","title":"Stones of Contention: A History of Africa's Diamonds","description":"\u003cp\u003eAfrica supplies the majority of the world's diamonds, yet consumers generally know little about the origins and history of these precious stones beyond sensationalized media accounts of so-called blood diamonds.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eStones of Contention\u003c\/i\u003e explores the major developments in the remarkable history of Africa's diamonds, from the earliest stirrings of international interest in the continent's mineral wealth in the first millennium A.D. to the present day. In the European colonial period, the discovery of diamonds in South Africa ushered in an era of unprecedented greed during which monopolistic enterprises exploited both the mineral resources and the indigenous workforce. In the aftermath of World War II, the governments of newly independent African states, both democratic and despotic, joined industry giant De Beers and other corporations to oversee and profit from mining activity on the continent.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe book also considers the experiences of a wide array of Africans--from informal artisanal miners, company mineworkers, and indigenous authorities to armed rebels, mining executives, and premiers of mineral-rich states--and their relationships to the stones that have the power to bring both wealth and misery. With photos and maps, \u003ci\u003eStones of Contention\u003c\/i\u003e illustrates the scope and complexity of the African diamond trade as well as its impact on individuals and societies.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Ohio University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/24\/2014\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780821421000\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 225\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.74lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.97h x 6.14w x 0.63d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 05\/19\/2014\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/01\/2014 pg. 8\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eForeword\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/27\/2014\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eChoice\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/01\/2015 pg. 826\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Todd Cleveland","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":38013064282293,"sku":"9780821421000","price":25.46,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/products\/img_684a6752-4f45-40ee-83f4-fc5522ec40af.jpg?v=1609139259","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/stones-of-contention-a-history-of-africas-diamonds-9780821421000","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}