Women's History: Whats the point?

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Whats the point?

Printed From: History Community ~ All Empires
Category: General History
Forum Name: Women's History
Forum Discription: Discuss women in history and other historical topics from a feminine perspective !
URL: http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=25987
Printed Date: 09-Jun-2024 at 23:24
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Topic: Whats the point?

Posted By: Parnell
Subject: Whats the point?
Date Posted: 24-Nov-2008 at 11:09

This is something I have raised before, but I'll raise it again (For a laff)

What is the point of women's history? What does it actually hope to achieve? A history of women is impossible. History is after all only the study of surviving evidence. Very little is known of day to day life for most women in most era's, except a few vague memoir-like documents. Its part of a sociological assertion of history, which barely resembles the subject at all.

Replies:

Posted By: red clay
Date Posted: 24-Nov-2008 at 11:34

You just gave two excellent reasons to study women's history. Nice work!

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"Arguing with someone who hates you or your ideas, is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter what move you make, your opponent will walk all over the board and scramble the pieces".
Unknown.

Posted By: Parnell
Date Posted: 24-Nov-2008 at 12:38

You cannot study that which has no evidence. In the case of women's history ('recovering the lives of medieval women', for example) there simply isn't enough evidence to make a point.

You should try reading these 'womens history' books sometimes. Makes me shudder even thinking about it.

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Posted By: gcle2003
Date Posted: 24-Nov-2008 at 12:52

Depends to some extent how recent a period you are talking about. I doubt students of Jane Austen or the Brontes would agree we have no historical evidence about the lives of women.

Some while ago I remember coming across a load of court records from early modern England in which women frequently appeared (memorably because so many of them were brewers). The Vatican records on which Ladurie built Montaillou would be a similar case.

I agree though that feminist historicists - like the Afrocentrists for that matter - sometimes drive one a little nuts.

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