Women in European History

This book illustrates the social, cultural, legal and, political conditions that European women have faced from the Middle Ages to the present day.

Series Editor’s Preface vii Preface ix 1 Querelle des femmes: A European Gender Dispute 1 The Dignity of Man and the Dignity of Woman 2 Misogamy and Misogyny; Philogamy and Philogyny 14 The Power of Fathers, the Power of Men, the Power of Women 27 2 The French Revolution: The Dispute is Resumed 32 Hopes 33 Rights of Man and Rights of Woman 41 Amazons and Counter-revolutionaries 55 Napoleon and the Revolution in Europe 62 Nocturnal Intrigues 78 3 Challenging Boundaries: A Third Gender Dispute 82 Changing Debates and Language 84 No Angels in the House: Ideals and Realities 93 Old and New Labour 99 Pre-Pioneers and Pioneers of the Women’s Movement 108 A Social Movement 116 4 From the Social to the Political 127 National and Transnational Movements 128 Equal because Different: The Political Discourse of Suffragism 137 First-comers and Late-comers: European Paths to Women’s Suffrage 145 Citizenship and Mother’s Rights 156 Social Policies for and against Women 168 5 Between Extremes 174 Female Citizens and the New Woman 175 Maternity and Paternity in the Welfare State 181 Paths Leading to Dictatorship: The Political and the Private 189 National Socialism and Race Policy 206 War and Genocide in Europe 218 6 Civil, Political and Social Rights: A New Gender Debate 233 Liberty and Equality 235 The Longest Revolution 245 History, Mind and Gender 256 Notes 265 Bibliography 280 Index 291