"Peace is the highest effort of the human brain applied to the organisation of the life and being of the peoples of the world on the basis of cooperation."
- Emmeline Pethick Lawrence
"Women at the Hague" is a journalistic account of Jane Addams, Emily Green Balch, both of whom are Nobel Peace Prize winners, and Alice Hamilton and their international travels and experiences as envoys of peace during the International Congress of Women in 1915. Also included is an extensive introduction by Harriet Hyman Alonso, which provides insight into the text of the book as well as the historical background of the three women and the effect that the experience had on their lives as pacifists and peace leaders. The role of women as peace leaders is central to the theme of this work and the views expressed by the women are visionary, since much of what they describe is as relevant today as it was almost a century ago. Themes such as the generation gap between the old male war makers and the young soldiers fighting causes that may not be apparent to them, jingoism, nationalism, and objectification of the enemy in the press, and the strong sense from citizens from every participant country that their cause was one of self defense. Some of the outcomes of the congress include statements of international cooperation, democratic control of foreign policy, and the enfranchisement of women on equal political footing as men, since their voice is a voice of peace. The groundwork laid by the International Congress of Women paved the way for the founding of the Women's International League of Peace and Freedom, of which Jane Addams was President and Emily Balch was secretary.
Links:
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Citation Information:
Addams, J., Balch, E. G., & Hamilton, A. (2003). Women at the Hague: The International Congress of Women and its results. Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
No comments:
Post a Comment