Women of the Scottish Enlightenment : their importance in the history of Scottish education
Historians have already demonstrated that the European Enlightenment energised debate on the social and political role of women. They have also shown that women themselves took an active part in widening their own intellectual horizons. This study shows that similar debate and female intellectual activity existed during the Scottish Enlightenment. Indeed, the period between 1750 and 1830 can be regarded as a watershed in Scottish women's history. There is evidence that during this time Scottish women began to question the existing role-model of wife and mother and, in the process, began to seek new opportunities elsewhere in civil society. This thesis, then, examines the role of Scottish women in public life between 1750 and 1830. In particular it focuses upon their relationship to the ideological changes of the Enlightenment. Did more enlightened attitudes towards women in Scottish society encourage women to break with past custom? Or was it on their own initiative that Scotswomen developed new interests and patterns of behaviour? To answer these questions a variety of sources were consulted. Information about Scottish women in mainstream accounts of Scottish history is sparse and so the main evidence in
Russell, Rosalind
History
Women of the Scottish Enlightenment : their importance in the history of Scottish education. Historians have already demonstrated that the European Enlightenment energised debate on the social and political role of women. They have also shown that women themselves took an active part in widening their own intellectual horizons. This study shows that similar debate and female intellectual activity existed during the Scottish Enlightenment. Indeed, the period between 1750 and 1830 can be regarded as a watershed in Scottish women's history. There is evidence that during this time Scottish women began to question the existing role-model of wife and mother and, in the process, began to seek new opportunities elsewhere in civil society. This thesis, then, examines the role of Scottish women in public life between 1750 and 1830. In particular it focuses upon their relationship to the ideological changes of the Enlightenment. Did more enlightened attitudes towards women in Scottish society encourage women to break with past custom? Or was it on their own initiative that Scotswomen developed new interests and patterns of behaviour? To answer these questions a variety of sources were consulted. Information about Scottish women in mainstream accounts of Scottish history is sparse and so the main evidence in
women scottish_enlightenment importance history scottish education historians already demonstrate european enlightenment debate social_political role_woman also_show woman take active part widen intellectual horizon study_show similar debate female intellectual_activity exist scottish_enlightenment indeed period regard watershed scottish woman history evidence time scottish woman begin question exist role model wife mother process begin seek new opportunity elsewhere civil_society examine_role scottish woman public_life particular_focus upon relationship ideological change enlightenment enlighten attitude_towards woman scottish_society encourage woman break past custom initiative develop_new interest pattern_behaviour answer_question variety_source consult information scottish woman mainstream account scottish_history sparse main evidence