Protestant missionary children's lives, c.1870-1950

This compelling historical study examines the complex lives of Protestant missionary children during the height of imperial expansion, revealing how these young people navigated dual identities as both empire citizens and religious actors. Drawing on oral histories and institutional archives, Morrison reconstructs the daily realities of children raised in missionary contexts across the globe, showing how their experiences were shaped by parental expectations and organizational policies. The book skillfully blends histories of childhood and emotion to uncover the human dimension of missionary work, moving beyond adult perspectives to center children's own voices and experiences.

What makes this work particularly valuable is its nuanced approach to understanding how children actively negotiated the constraints placed upon them, creating their own meanings within missionary and colonial systems. Morrison demonstrates that while these children were profoundly influenced by religious and imperial frameworks, they were not merely passive recipients of adult agendas. Readers interested in colonial history, childhood studies, or religious missions will find rich material here that challenges simplified narratives about missionary families. The book ultimately provides a sophisticated portrait of how childhood itself became a contested space where empire, religion, and personal identity intersected.