Soldiers of Labor

"Soldiers of Labor is a welcome addition to the growing body of literature in the field of transnational history. It sets remarkably high standards regarding methods of historical comparison." - The Journal of American History, Olaf Stieglitz, University of Cologne Colgne, Germany "Patel's meticulous study of the Reichsarbeitsdienst and its counterpart in the U.S. deserves a wide readership. It is based on extensive primary source research in more than ten archives on both sides of the Atlantic. Not only its breadth, but also the close reading of the RAD's sparse remnants make this an impressive study; indeed, it is the first comprehensive study of this institution. This achievement alone is important. Moreover, the author draws on a wide variety of methodologies, ranging from conceptualizations of masculinity and space to transnational history; this diversity of strategy increases this monograph's overall innovativeness. The author's greatest achievement rests in having uncovered some striking, unexpected similarities between both institutions, and in revealing their reciprocal impact." - H-German, Thilo Schimmel, Department of History, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign