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Introduction: Gender and work in twentieth-century Italy: new approaches
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 April 2024
Abstract
This introduction to the special issue ‘Gender and Work in Twentieth-Century Italy’ draws on key strands of historical scholarship on gender and work, including women workers’ experiences, labour market discrimination, domestic work, the impact of gender norms, and ideas of masculinity and femininity on work identities. It traces the development of feminist influence within this scholarship, from making women workers’ experiences visible to challenging essentialist notions of gender identities. Drawing on post-structuralist and intersectional perspectives, particularly influenced by Joan Wallach Scott and Judith Butler, the scholarship on which this special issue is based understands gender as a system of power signified through language and social constructions, and builds on the critique of the dichotomies and essentialisations of traditional labour history, proposing a systemic and structural approach to understanding gendered experiences of work. By exploring the intersections of gender, work and power, this collection offers insights into wider European developments and challenges established historical concepts and narratives. It highlights the importance of understanding gender dynamics in shaping labour relations and social structures, ultimately contributing to a more nuanced understanding of labour and power dynamics in twentieth-century Italy and beyond.
Italian summary
Questa introduzione al numero speciale ‘Gender and Work in Twentieth-Century Italy’ si basa su alcuni filoni chiave della ricerca storica su genere e lavoro, tra cui le esperienze delle lavoratrici, la discriminazione nel mercato del lavoro, il lavoro domestico, l'impatto delle norme di genere e le idee di mascolinità e femminilità sulle identità lavorative. Il libro ripercorre l'impatto dell'influenza femminista su questi temi, dal rendere visibili le esperienze delle lavoratrici al contestare le nozioni essenzialiste delle identità di genere. Attingendo alle prospettive poststrutturaliste e intersezionali, influenzate in particolare da Joan Wallach Scott e Judith Butler, la ricerca su cui si basa questo numero speciale intende il genere come un sistema di potere rappresentato attraverso il linguaggio e le costruzioni sociali, e si basa sulla critica delle dicotomie e delle essenzializzazione della storia del lavoro tradizionale, proponendo un approccio sistemico nel comprendere le esperienze di genere del lavoro. Esplorando le intersezioni tra genere, lavoro e potere, questa raccolta offre spunti di riflessione su sviluppi europei più ampi e sfida concetti e narrazioni storiche consolidate. I saggi che la compongono sottolineano l'importanza della comprensione delle dinamiche di genere nel plasmare i rapporti di lavoro e le strutture sociali, contribuendo in ultima analisi a una comprensione più sfumata delle dinamiche del lavoro e del potere nell'Italia del XX secolo e non solo.
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- Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Association for the Study of Modern Italy
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