Arming the Periphery

A major historical study of the global arms trade, revolving around the transfer of small arms from metropolitan Europe to the turbulent frontiers of Indian Ocean societies during the 'long' nineteenth century (c.1780-1914).

'It is difficult to imagine a historical subject with a deeper resonance for our present age than the development of the global arms trade. In this book, Emrys Chew presents an essential and deeply researched analysis of the arms industry and the arms trade in Europe and Asia during the nineteenth century.' - C.A. Bayly, University of Cambridge, UK

'Arming the Periphery brilliantly reveals that the trade in small arms and the arms transfer system it engendered between Europe and the Indian Ocean region were fundamental to the development both of empire and, paradoxically, of state formation in the region. To help us fully understand the likely impact of the international small arms trade of the present and future, we need to understand its past patterns and structure. This book provides a uniquely valuable guide to the past, and by extension, to the future too.' - Geoffrey Till, King's College London, UK

'As the Indian Ocean returns to the centre-stage of world politics, Arming the Periphery offers a deep insight into the historic evolution of the region's security order. Emrys Chew's fascinating story on the arms trade between the European centre and the Asian periphery in the long nineteenth century will uniquely enrich the twenty-first century debates on the Indian Ocean amidst the unfolding redistribution of power in the littoral.' - C. Raja Mohan, Senior Fellow, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, and Foreign Affairs Columnist for The Indian Express

'...well-researched, wide-ranging study...' - Highly recommended by Choice

EMRYS CHEW Assistant Professor of History at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His research focuses on the interconnections between Asian and global history, with particular emphasis on the cross-cultural networks and exchanges that transformed warfare and strategy.