Vron Ware

ABSTRACT

The intervention of British feminists in the South African War is a chapter of feminist history that is rarely included either in the memorialization of the suffrage movement or the genealogies of global counterinsurgency. The careers of pacifist Emily Hobhouse and suffragist Millicent Fawcett provide rich opportunities to examine the gendered and racialised politics of British imperial militarism. By exploring the confrontation between these two white women within the wider context of aggressive colonial expansion, this essay will draw out the implications of their differing stances towards the conduct and practice of war, particularly as it impacted on female civilians in the war zone. In doing so, it will contribute to our analysis of the interconnected histories of racism, imperialism, feminism and militarism that have undeniably shaped the politics of global security today.

KEYWORDS

Imperialism, feminism, whiteness, militarism, pacifism, suffrage

From: Cultural Studies 2020 34 (4)

Editor: Wang Yi