Calculating Compassion: Humanity and Relief in War, Britain 18701914

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Calculating compassion examines the origins of British relief work in late-nineteenth-century wars on the continent and the fringes of Empire. Commencing with the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-71, it follows distinguished surgeons and 'lady amateurs' as they distributed aid to wounded soldiers and distressed civilians, often in the face of considerable suspicion. Dispensing with the notion of shared 'humanitarian' ideals, it examines the complex, and sometimes controversial, origins of organised relief, and illuminates the emergence of practices and protocols still recognisable in the delivery of overseas aid. This book is intended for students, academics and relief practitioners interested in the historical concerns of first generation relief agencies such as the British Red Cross Society and the Save the Children Fund, and their legacies today. -- .

Reviews

Gill has not simply written a history of relief this is a book about the unseen consequences of war, evolving British ideas about internationalism and empire, and attitudes to poverty and race at the turn of the twentieth century. It also demands attention for its relevance to contemporary policy makers.
Kevin OSullivan, National University of Ireland, Galway, Journal of Modern History, September 2016

Author Bio

Rebecca Gill is Lecturer in Modern History at the University of Huddersfield