Women teachers in state schools in England and Wales 1900-1939 : the development of feminist allegiance and political strategies
Women teachers working In local authority elementary and secondary schools from the turn of the century to the Second World War were heavily engaged in political activity concerning their own position as women in teaching. This thesis investigates the reasons for women teachers' strong feminist allegiance and the strategies which they used to pursue their aims. Women teachers were politicised as feminists by experiencing tensions within the structures and meanings of their working and personal lives. In particular, the stresses and tensions between two identities, that of the professional teacher and that of the feminine woman, coupled with their experiences within the teachers' professional associations and the influence of the suffrage movement, meant that both elementary and secondary school teachers became increasingly receptive to feminist ideas in the years before the First World War. It is further argued that the particular process of politicisation had effects on the type of feminist politics and strategies that women teachers espoused. The dual elements of professionalism and femininity are analogous to the major philosophical strands within feminism of 'equality' and 'difference'. Feminist women
Oram, Alison Margaret
History
Women teachers in state schools in England and Wales 1900-1939 : the development of feminist allegiance and political strategies. Women teachers working In local authority elementary and secondary schools from the turn of the century to the Second World War were heavily engaged in political activity concerning their own position as women in teaching. This thesis investigates the reasons for women teachers' strong feminist allegiance and the strategies which they used to pursue their aims. Women teachers were politicised as feminists by experiencing tensions within the structures and meanings of their working and personal lives. In particular, the stresses and tensions between two identities, that of the professional teacher and that of the feminine woman, coupled with their experiences within the teachers' professional associations and the influence of the suffrage movement, meant that both elementary and secondary school teachers became increasingly receptive to feminist ideas in the years before the First World War. It is further argued that the particular process of politicisation had effects on the type of feminist politics and strategies that women teachers espoused. The dual elements of professionalism and femininity are analogous to the major philosophical strands within feminism of 'equality' and 'difference'. Feminist women
women teacher state school england_wales development feminist allegiance political strategy women teacher work local_authority elementary secondary school turn century second_world_war heavily engage political_activity concern position_woman teach investigates reason woman teacher strong feminist allegiance strategy_use pursue aim women teacher politicise feminist experience tension_within structure meaning work personal life particular stress tension identity professional teacher feminine woman couple experience within teacher professional association influence suffrage movement meant elementary secondary school_teacher become_increasingly receptive feminist idea years first_world_war argue particular process politicisation effect type feminist politics strategy woman teacher espouse dual element professionalism femininity analogous major philosophical strand within feminism equality difference feminist woman