Home Front Heroism - (Cultural History of Modern War) by Ellena Matthews (Hardcover)

About the Book

Home front heroism explores how civilians were framed as heroic during the Second World War. Through a focus on London, this book explores how the effects and demands of conflict created increased opportunities for heroics, and created a need for heroism to be acknowledged, awarded and celebrated.

Book Synopsis

Home front heroism investigates how civilians were recognised and celebrated as heroic during the Second World War. Through a focus on London, this book explores how heroism was manufactured as civilians adopted roles in production, protection and defence, through the use of uniforms and medals, and through the way that civilians were injured and killed.

This book makes a novel contribution to the study of heroism by exploring the spatial, material, corporeal and ritualistic dimensions of heroic representations. By tracing the different ways that home front heroism was cultivated on a national, local and personal level, this study promotes new ways of thinking about the meaning and value of heroism during periods of conflict. It will appeal to anyone interested in the social and cultural history of Second World War as well as the sociology and psychology of heroism.

From the Back Cover

Home front heroism investigates how civilians were celebrated as heroic during the Second World War, . It explores how conflict altered the relationship between the civilian and state, and how this shift created unique opportunities for civilians to behave heroically and be framed as heroic. From acts of life-risking bravery to displays of endurance, it illustrates how constructions of Home Front heroism were flexible and malleable, and directly linked to the impact of war.
As the first comprehensive study of Home Front heroism, the volume surveys the spatial, material, corporeal and ritualistic dimensions of heroic representations. With a focus on London, it examines how heroism was manufactured through the way civilians occupied spaces of production and danger; the use of uniforms and gallantry medals; and in the way civilians were wounded and killed during periods of bombardment. It also interrogates why certain individuals or virtues were identified and raised as heroic, and the motivations behind such constructions.
Drawing on a range of sources, including films, posters, art, legislation, government correspondence, newspapers, diaries and memoirs, this study reveals that Home Front heroism was produced on a national, local and personal level. It provides a valuable contribution to the study of heroism and promotes new ways of thinking about the meaning and value of heroism during periods of conflict. It will appeal to anyone interested in the social and cultural history of the Second World War as well as the sociology and psychology of heroism.

Review Quotes

'Identifying the antecedents of such celebrations of "everyday heroism" in British culture, she details the forms such celebrations took and how they were shaped by the environment in which this heroism was demonstrated. These rituals of celebration and commemoration, she concludes, played an important role in helping the population cope with the strains of war. This assessment underscores the value of Matthews's book for collections specializing in British history and WW II, as well as for those interested in the public response to trauma.' - CHOICE Reviews

About the Author

Ellena Matthews is a historian and civil servant