Book: Bibbings, Telling tales about men

9 November 2009

Some of the ways in which conscientious objectors to compulsory military service were viewed and treated in England during WWI are the focus of a forthcoming book, Telling Tales About Men, by Lois Bibbings, Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Bristol.

The book provides an intriguing account of how these men — who opposed the war because of religious, moral and political belief — were perceived during this conflict.

Historically, conscientious objectors could be imprisoned or otherwise penalised when their beliefs led into conflict with the government. Unsurprisingly, they were often deemed to be cowards, traitors, despicable criminals and degenerates. However, at the same time these men were also sometimes considered to be heroes and patriots — upstanding and intensely moral folk.

Exploring the relationship between men, war, culture, patriotism and individual conscience, Bibbings draws on a range of materials and disciplines to produce this socio-cultural study. Sources include diaries, government papers, legal records, newspapers, magazines and novels, whilst the book is informed by writings from literary and gender studies, criminology, sociology, law and history.

Bibbings said: “We all know stories about the Great War but these tend to focus upon soldiers and warfare. What I wanted to do in this book was to explore the ways in which tales could be told about the men who refused to fight.”

Comments about Telling Tales About Men include:

“This is an original, culturally nuanced and engaging book which marries the personal with the political. The narratives about ‘conchies’ presented within these pages challenge established understanding about these men and make a valuable contribution to existing literature about those who say no to war.” Julian Putkowski, military historian, researcher and broadcaster.

"In telling the intriguing stories of these men, Bibbings brilliantly exposes the contradictions of manliness in wartime." Professor Joanna Bourke, Birkbeck College.

The book is a forthcoming title published by Manchester University Press.

Please contact Lois Bibbings for further information.