Unintended Consequences or Desired Outcome – Soldiers’ children and their role in national rebirth

Professor Sabine Lee, CHIBOW coordinator, was recently invited to present a lecture as part of the Birmingham Research Institute for History and Cultures (BRIHC) Spring Series. Lee's research addresses the life courses of children who were fathered by foreign soldiers and born to local mothers during conflicts. This lecture looks at three cases where military and political leadership have formulated policies relating to soldiers’ children, in an attempt to utilise their offspring for a process of national 'rebirth'. Despite great differences in the historical context and the nature of these conflicts, Lee highlights shared characteristics which shed light on the circumstances that have led to policies for procreation to be used as a war strategy.