Projects / Programmes
Women and the First World War
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.01.00 |
Humanities |
Historiography |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| H250 |
Humanities |
Contemporary history (since 1914) |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 6.01 |
Humanities |
History and Archaeology |
Gender, First World War
Researchers (10)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
A preliminary overview of the existing literature has shown that women in the First World War in Slovenia remain a marginalized topic in historiography. They are mentioned only sporadically in general descriptions of the war events. The time during the War is rarely mentioned in the studies that have researched the history of Slovenian women in the 19th and 20th century as they focus primarily on the years just before and after the War. The number of foreign researches into this topic however, is increasing and the present project aims to join these. Moreover, the project will fill a void in Slovenian historiography and widen the spectrum of knowledge dealing with events and processes of the FWW also in other areas of historical research, e.g. history of psychiatry, emotions, migrations, masculinity and other overlooked topics.
Research of the status of women will include more or less all regions with Slovenian population, with the focus however, on the area of the Isonzo Front and its hinterlands. In the scope of the project women’s autobiographical material from public as well as from private collections will be systematically collected for the first time. Furthermore, the autobiographical testimonies of soldiers, officers on the front etc., archival materials and literature will be used as sources. These will be further complemented with photographic material and lastly, new, original studies will be included through an interdisciplinary scientific approach.
The project will include different thematic chapters; among others, the contribution of women to the war economy. The War made the women in the hinterlands become the most important strata of the society, responsible for the economy to continue functioning and for the public sphere, while with time they became also part of the war efforts. Many historians recognize in this the foundations or the turning point for the birth of the processes that lead to the emancipation of women. The project will show how this process unfolded among the Slovenian women; how, during the war, they became involved into the economy; and, last but not least, how the economy reacted to the new female workforce in the different sectors.
In addition, a discursive and critical analysis of the archival sources will be conducted, which will enable us to focus on the image of a woman during the War. The state expected women to become »the motivation« for the soldiers, who were to defend and save their mothers, wives and children. However, some women decided to protest against these instructions of their planned sacrifice. Effects of all these numerous expectations on the one side and persecutions on the other were psychologically traumatic for women. However, their mechanisms to cope with these traumas remained mainly invisible. The research of emotions, the intimate sphere, and female subversiveness will therefore present two thematic chapters in the project. Another one will research a specific group of women – refugees, who came from the areas of the war front. Their experiences were diverse; some were able to stay together with their families at the relatives while others had to go to the refugee camps. In the scope of the project we will also research the consequences of the FWW and how the postwar years contributed to the betterment or worsening of the situation for women in the Slovenian society, and in its neighboring regions.
As the above outlay of the project indicates the War strongly effected the everyday of the female half of the society, although this process has not yet been scientifically evaluated. The influence of the War went far into the future as with its end the pre-war system of gender roles had been called into question (especially woman’s role as dependents). The project will therefore research the women’s interwar public engagements while it will also try to establish how the War entered into the women’s private spheres, leaving its mark materially as well as emo
Significance for science
Increased understanding of the First World War: We increased the knowledge of the First World War, particularly in the area of gender and other so far neglected (the history of emotions etc.). The international placement in the study of total war in the context of gender: The research placed the Slovenian historiography in the context of rich international literature, which has started to illuminate this topic in the eighties with its texts on the role of women. In Slovenia, there was still no indepth, problemset, or systematic study of the female population in the war time, despite the fact that the course of the Isonzo Front, on a territory populated mainly by Slovenians, left a major mark on the lives of the civilian population, in which women prevailed. A contribution to a deeper knowledge of the processes and factors in Slovenian history: We illuminated the role of women in the First World War and highlighted the key levers of the intense conceptual, cultural, social as well as economic and political social change from the beginning of the 20th century on the Slovenian territory, both in everyday life and in social structures. A contribution to the field of women's studies on the Slovenian territory: Due to the lack of analytical studies in the mentioned field, the perspective of women during the First World War was absent in many Slovenian synthesis in the field of women's studies. The task group managed to realize a pioneer work in this field. A bridge between history researchers: We collaborated with popular institutions (museums!), including amateur history lovers; the latter are in the field of the First World War quite numerous and are characterized by a considerable knowledge of the terrain and the empirical content, which is rarely encountered in archival sources. Considering the locality: The project took into account a number of regional specifics of the Slovenian territory, including the distinction of rural and urban areas, which are typical for Slovenian lands. It also distinguishes between the proximity of the front warfare and the more distant hinterland. To contribute to the advancement of the discipline of historiography: The Slovenian contemporary historiography had not sufficiently explored certain topics that are fairly enforced abroad. By studying the history of emotions and violence, this research contributed to the advancement of the historiographical profession.
Significance for the country
- The project contributes to filling in the rather substantial void in the field of understanding and contextualization of WWI, which counts for Slovene historiography about this epochal event. Project group studied the theme not only focuses on local, Slovene specifics, but remain faithful to the comparative perspectives from historiographic environments from abroad. - By taking part in international conferences, which thematised various aspects of WWI as well as by organizing one, which shed light on the role of women in WWI, the project raised attention for history of Slovene territory among foreign researchers, in particular for Italian ones. These activities stimulated interpersonal connections, which will facilitate mobility of Slovene researchers and promotion of their scientific findings in the future. - Employment of younger colleagues of both sexes, in particular those educated abroad, decreases the phenomenon of »brain drain«. Also it brings into the Slovene historical environment skills and competences, that younger researchers gained along with various research scholarships and by working in research institutions abroad. Inclusion of younger researchers is an important added value of the project, balancing a concealed and yet systematic discrimination of younger researchers in sciences. - Due to the nature of work in historical research sphere, which are defined by project calls for a limited time, in particular younger female colleagues of childbearing age are discriminated. Namely, due to family formation and child care they are absent from work for a certain period. Inclusion of younger female colleagues into the research team and their employment in the project demonstrate an indirect effect in gender-balanced options in science and higher education. By exploring the position of women and the dynamics of gender in the past, the project indirectly contributes to raising awareness of gender relations in the past and today. - Indirectly project promotes sexual equality by illuminating women's activities during wartime and the contextualization of the biographies of women who were either publicly active during this period or the research process revealed the unpublished biographical segments of certain women. - By deepening understanding of historical sources, by informing the general public of the processes, movements and events that have shaped the history of Europe, we can better contextualize the challenges that Slovenia is facing today and develop positions such as empathy, tolerance and openness, which are essential for a democratic and plural society.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2015,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2014,
2015,
final report
