Child, Nation, Race and Empire: Child Rescue Discourse, England, Canada and Australia, 1850-1915

Description

In the second half of the nineteenth century, prominent English child rescuers, reconstituted the vulnerable body of the child at risk as central to the survival of nation, race and empire. The book explains how the project contributed to the neglect and abuse disclosed in recent enquiries into the past treatment of children in out-of-home 'care'. -- .

Margot Hillel is a Professor and Head of School at Australian Catholic University Shurlee Swain is a Professor at Australian Catholic University and a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Historical Studies at the University of Melbourne

"This study finds much to condemn in the child removal system, but the authors also caution against resorting to simplistic solutions to complex problems. Summing Up: Recommended." - "CHOICE" "The authors bring to their analysis an imposing and impressive weight of research - they have immersed themselves deeply in the prose, poetry, and pictures of the rescue narrative, and establish the key elements in it." - Hugh Cunningham, University of Kent, "Victorian Studies Review"