Feminism and Empire: Women Activists in Imperial Britain, 1790û1865

This original work throws fascinating new light on the roots of later 'imperial feminism' and contemporary debates concerning women's rights in an era of globalisation and neo-imperialism. Based on extensive new research, this study exposes the intimate links between debates on the 'woman question' and the constitution of 'colonial discourse' in order to highlight the centrality of empire to white middle-class women's activism in Britain. Clare Midgely examines women's rights in relation to slavery, middle-class women's activism on imperial issues in Britain and the organised feminist movement that emerged in the 1850s. This book is an incredibly valuable volume for all studying women's or imperial history.