Full Description
Rethinking Feminist History and Theory considers the past, present, and future of feminist history and theory, emphasizing how feminism has influenced the histories of gender, class, and labour, and their intersections. This vibrant collection, inspired by the work of historian and women's studies scholar Joan Sangster, features essays from academics across multiple disciplines, highlighting the dynamism of feminist historical scholarship in Canada.
The book explores questions such as the following: How has women's resistance and radicalism been expressed, lived, represented, and repressed over the past century? How do we research these phenomena? How do we situate feminism in relation to other movements for egalitarian social change? Contributors explicitly address these recurring themes, aiming to chart new directions for future research and teaching.
While primarily Canadian focused, the collection includes global perspectives, with contributions from scholars in Chile, Finland, Sweden, and the UK. The essays emphasize the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration, incorporating insights from labour studies, political economy, anthropology, legal studies, and feminist theory. Ultimately, Rethinking Feminist History and Theory engages deeply with Sangster's rich and wide-ranging work to understand and interpret women's experiences. It seeks to inspire future scholarship and teaching in feminist history and theory, showcasing the ongoing relevance and adaptability of feminist perspectives.
Contents
Preface
Lisa Pasolli and Julia Smith
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Judy Fudge
Part One: Women, Labour, and the Left
1. "Don't Dare": Labour, Feminism, and the Left on Strike at Dare Foods, 1972-1973
Mason Godden
2. The Poet and the Nun: Class-Struggle Feminism in Windsor, Ontario, during the 1970s
Sean Antaya
3. "Most women would prefer to keep their mouths shut": Challenging Sexual Harassment within the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 1981-1986
Barbara M. Freeman
4. The 1995 Calgary Laundry Workers Strike: A Case Study on the Power and Limits of Racialized Women's Class Struggle
Andrea Samoil
Part Two: Gender and Politics
5. "Giving women a voice": Annie Townley, the Labour Party, and Women's Politicization in South-West England in the Inter-war Years
June Hannam
6. Centros de Madres: From Their Origins to Their Radicalization under Salvador Allende's Government
Gabriela Castillo
7. A Global Turning Point for Equal Pay Struggles: International Women's Year, 1975
Silke Neunsinger and Ragnheiður Kristjánsdóttir
8. The Impact of Communism and Socialism on Women's Struggles and Social Entitlements in the Twentieth Century: A Global Overview
Alvin Finkel
Part Three: Violence and the Law
9. The Seduction of Vivian Macmillan: Scandal, Politics, and Perception in Depression-Era Alberta
Penny Bryden
10. Rehabilitating "the Girls": Women's Employment and Expertise in the Prison for Women, 1949-1965
Katie-Marie McNeill
11. Battered Women and Self-Defence before R. v. Lavallee: The Forgotten Case of R. v. Whynot (Stafford)
Nadia Verrelli and Lori Chambers
Part Four: Theory and Method
12. From Dreams of Equality to One Hundred Years of Struggle: Radical Women's Biographies in the History of Canadian Politics
Linda Kealey
13. Revisiting Many Tender Ties: A Materialist Reading of Sylvia Van Kirk's Text
Deanna Yi Turner
14. Gender, Migration, and the Temporalities of Late Capitalism: Reproduction in the Economies of Affect
Winnie Lem
15. Joan Sangster's Socialist-Feminist History
Ted McCoy
Bibliography
List of Contributors
Index
