Uniting Nations

Reviews / Votes

'This is an insightful account of Britain's role in post-war internationalism. In a field that tends to focus on institutions and governance, Gorman shows how individuals from various walks of life shaped international civil service and civil society. The rich case studies provide new perspectives on how decolonisation, technical development, human rights, and professionalisation registered in the international sphere.' Anna Bocking-Welch, University of Liverpool 'Gorman's book maps out, for the first time and on the basis of extensive research, the contribution made by many individual Britons to the burgeoning international community of the post-war decades: the careers that they made, the institutions that they served, and the ideas that motivated them.' Tom Buchanan, University of Oxford 'This well-researched book generates new insights into the role of international civil servants offering an excellent comparison of the different spaces and agency of civil servants and non-state actors. It is essential reading for the expanding literature on the inner workings of international organisations.' Alanna O'Malley, Leiden University 'This book deserves a wide readership. Its argument, intervention, and methodological insights would make it especially compelling reading material for discussions in graduate seminars. At the same time, its accessible writing and episodic form would easily allow individual chapters to be assigned in undergraduate courses. It will ultimately be an important resource for academic audiences in international history and modern British history; those interested in histories of decolonization, anticolonial activism, and transnational social movements; and for readers in development studies and related fields.' Daniel Gipper, H-Net Reviews