ABSTRACT

Why do children become an object of international concern? How has the sense of responsibility felt by societies from one part of the globe for “saving” the children of another evolved? The history of international child saving needs to be placed in many contexts, and told along many themes. Children in the abstract have often been the symbols of international campaigns of rescue. In particular, the idea of childhood often represents a powerful means of persuasion to gather public support and legitimacy. It does so in ways that often obscure the history of the actions and beliefs of the actual children involved. In other cases, where specific groups of children have become a cause for international protection, we need to examine the principles and motivations that underlie sympathy across borders, as well as the methods employed and the people involved. Children themselves have frequently played a role in shaping campaigns, institutions, and outcomes of international child saving.