The Concentration Camps of the Anglo-Boer War: A Social History

A general history of the concentration camps of the Anglo-Boer War, and the first to make an in-depth use of the very rich and extensive official documents in the South African and British archives, this book provides a fresh perspective on a topic that understandably arouses emotions because of the great numbers of Afrikaners—especially women and children—who died in the camps. Set in the larger context of colonialism at the end of the 19th century, this fascinating account overturns many previously held assumptions and conclusions. Arguing that British views on poverty, poor relief, and the management of colonial societies all shaped administration, this social history also attempts to explain why the camps were so badly administered in the first place and why reform was so slow—suggesting that divided responsibility, ignorance, political opportunism, and a failure to understand the needs of such institutions all played a part.