Warrior Women: The Cultural Politics of Armed Women, c.1850-1945

This Element examines women warriors as vehicles of mobilisation, arguing that they are best understood as examples of palimpsestic memory and travelling memory. It considers the instrumentalisation of women warriors by state actors and non-state actors and their meanings in modern warfare.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 75 pages
Publication date: 18 May 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This Element delves into the examination of women warriors as powerful agents of mobilization. It posits that women warrior figures from the mid-nineteenth century until the conclusion of the Second World War can be most effectively comprehended as exemplars of palimpsestic memory. This refers to the way in which their representations evolved to adapt to changing contexts while preserving remnants of legendary figures like Joan of Arc, as well as traces of traveling memory. These women's stories transcended geographical boundaries, were retold and reimagined across different cultures, highlighting their role as carriers of narratives that crossed borders.

The Element explores the multifaceted ways in which women warriors were instrumentalized by both state actors and non-state actors during the world wars, as well as in resistance, anti-colonial, and feminist movements. By analyzing a wide range of global conflicts, Fell's analysis sheds light on the identities of these actors, their motivations, and the profound meanings that armed women embodied for them. This comprehensive examination enables a fresh perspective on the woman warrior as an archetype in modern warfare, offering a deeper understanding of their roles and contributions to the historical narratives of conflict.

Weight: 134g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 9 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781009069045