Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

In the 1930s more than 40,000 men and women travelled to Spain from 50 countries to fight on behalf of the country's democratically elected Republican government.

The international brigades, as they were called, have been described as one of the most unusual armies in history since the overwhelming majority volunteered for ideological reasons - broadly characterised as anti-fascist.

And not surprisingly perhaps there were New Zealanders in their ranks.

This week in Ideas we explore what it is that makes people like the brigadistas risk their lives for their beliefs.

First we hear from historian and writer Mark Derby who edited the recently released Kiwi Companeros: New Zealand and the Spanish Civil War. And then later in the programme Christchurch playwright Sam Fisher tells us what motivated him to travel to Sri Lanka to work as a human-shield in the 1990s.

Links

Kiwi Companeros http://www.cup.canterbury.ac.nz/releases/2009/090424a.shtml

International Peace Brigades http://www.peacebrigades.org/