In the eighteenth century, as wars between Britain, France, and their allies raged across the world, hundreds of thousands of people were captured, detained, or exchanged. They were shipped across oceans, marched across continents, or held in an indeterminate limbo. The Society of Prisoners challenges us to rethink the paradoxes of the prisoner of war, defined at once as an enemy and as a fellow human being whose life must be spared. Amidst the emergence of new codifications of international law, the practical distinctions between a prisoner of war, a hostage, a criminal, and a slave were not always clear-cut. Renaud Morieux's vivid and lucid account uses war captivity as a point of departure, investigating how the state transformed itself at war, and how whole societies experienced international conflicts. The detention of foreigners on home soil created the conditions for multifaceted exchanges with the host populations, involving prison guards, priests, pedlars, and philanthropists. Thus, while the imprisonment of enemies signals the extension of Anglo-French rivalry throughout the world, the mass incarceration of foreign soldiers and sailors also illustrates the persistence of non-conflictual relations amidst war. Taking the reader beyond Britain and France, as far as the West Indies and St Helena, this story resonates in our own time, questioning the dividing line between war and peace, and forcing us to confront the untenable situations in which the status of the enemy is left to the whim of the captor.

About the Author
Renaud Morieux has been a lecturer in British history at Cambridge since 2011, before which he lectured in modern history at Lille for five years. His career, spanning the Channel, exemplifies his attempts to cross the intellectual and academic borders between France and Britain.

Reviews
The comparison between different "societies of prisoners" could certainly be extended to other spaces and times, further attesting to the rich comparative potential of Morieux's work and the interest it should garner beyond specialists of Franco-British relations. * Guillaume Calafat, Historical Journal *
In a work that is both theoretically informed and exhaustively researched, Morieux offers fresh insight into the consequences of war for European society. * Randall McGowen, Historical Journal *
Interesting and original ... a real transnational history from below. * Margaret Hunt, Historical Journal *
Insightful * Rachel Weil, Historical Journal *
A magisterial study. * Alan Forrest, Annales Historiques de la Revolution Francaise [translated] *
Rich and sophisticated ... a vivid social history. * Matthew McCormack, English Historical Review *
At a time when Anglo-French relations are once more under scrutiny, Morieux has produced a fascinating exploration of a complex cross-channel social phenomenon. * Matthew McCormack, The English Historical Review *
Magisterial study * Alan Forrest, Annales Historiques de la Revolution Francaise *
In a work that is both theoretically informed and exhaustively researched, Morieux offers fresh insight into the consequences of war for European society. * Randall McGowen, Professor Emeritus, University of Oregon, Historical Journal *
The Society of Prisoners provides highly insightful passages on the range of prize courts and jurisdictions, the role of private forms of naval warfare, the plurality of authorities that governed captivity, and the manifold forms that captivity could take. * Guillaume Calafat, Professor, University of Paris, Historical Journal *
The book is valuable for the expansiveness of its scope in framing other, more focused studies and will, one hopes, prompt others in turn. * K.J. Kesselring, Dalhousie University, Canadian Journal of History *



Book Information
ISBN 9780198723585
Author Renaud Morieux
Format Hardback
Page Count 436
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 846g
Dimensions(mm) 236mm * 162mm * 31mm