‘Deeply researched and compellingly argued, Sophie van den Elzen’s book marks the emergence of a new stage of historical studies of Euro-American women. Bringing new life and significance to the vast international range of historical writings by women activists that featured slavery and abolitionism, its pages illuminate the era as a whole and renew the foundation for future studies of women’s activism generally.’

‘Sophie van den Elzen has given us a fascinating study of how abolitionism provided a model for early feminism. Theoretically refined and grounded in detail, this is a tour de force. Highly recommended for everyone interested in the history of feminism or the role of cultural memory in emancipation movements.’

‘Sophie van den Elzen offers readers a thoughtful and carefully researched inquiry into the ongoing significance of the woman–slave analogy and early nineteenth-century American antislavery campaigns as founding moments in the historical memory of the international women’s movement. Her premise is that cultural memory work, by emphasising some aspects of the historical past and blocking out others, may actually shape subsequent action.’