Français | English

Laboratoire italien. Politique et société, n°26/2021

Voix et parcours du féminisme dans les revues de femmes (1870-1970)

Edited by Laura Fournier-Finocchiaro, Liviana Gazzetta, Barbara Meazzi

Laboratoire italien



Voices and paths of feminism in women's magazines (1870-1970)

Between the 19th and 20th centuries, Italian feminism found its natural home in the periodical press, which was its main instrument of debate and collective action. Women's magazines played a crucial role in Italian women’s engagement with international feminist associations, and they illustrate the complexity of feminist motivations and struggles, which cannot be limited to simply demands for the vote and legal equality. Thus, from the early days of feminism, it is possible to identify in the press a broader perspective of the transformation of society and the family, as well as an increased focus on social and political issues, which anticipate and pave the way for the women’s movements of the late 20th century. The volume, which seeks to deconstruct the rigid opposition between Bourgeois Feminism and the antifeminism of the workers’ parties, devotes particular attention to women’s magazines associated with socialist, anarchist and communist groups, highlighting the significant role they played in Italian women’s struggle for emancipation.