Civilizing Women

Explore the complex relationship between British colonial officers and Muslim Sudanese in Civilizing Women. Janice Boddy focuses on the efforts to end female circumcision in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan from 1920-1946, revealing how this was tied to other colonial concerns such as slavery and cotton farming. This engaging book delves into the nuanced process of colonizing selfhood and the role of British women in it. Boddy also discusses the fraught relations between political officers, missionaries, and African nationalists. A cautionary tale for those considering contemporary interventions.