British Women and the Spanish Civil War

Through oral and written narratives, this book examines the interaction between women and the war in Spain, their motivation, the distinctive form of their involvment and the effect of the war on their individual lives. These themes are related to wider issues, such as the nature of memory and the role of women within the public sphere. The extent to which women engaged with this cause surpasses by far other instances of female mobilization in peace-time Britain. Such a phenomenon therefore can offer lessons to those who would wish to encourage a greater degree of interest amongst women in political activities today. 1. Introduction2. The Clarion Call: Women and the Melioristic Motive3. Committee Culture: Women and Mobilization4. 'A Women's Work in Wartime': Women in Spain5. 'A Far Cry': Women and the Voice of Empathy6. Aftermath: Women and the Memory of War7. Conclusion