Women’s Roles in Times of War and Political Violence: Reclaiming Herstory

This book explores the socio-political practice of collective memory in the context of prejudices and stereotypes that circulate in the public sphere with regard to the role of women experiencing wartime and political violence. This book explores the socio-political practice of collective memory in the context of prejudices and stereotypes that circulate in the public sphere with regard to the role of women experiencing wartime and political violence. With a focus on Poland and Central and Eastern Europe, it draws on memoirs, biographies, autobiographies, testimonies by women authors, ideological proclamations and secular ‘hagiographies’ of heroines, female leaders and contemporary role models to examine the ways in which the oppression experienced by women during war is reflected in public discourse, how prejudices and stereotypes concerning the role of women are used politically and how women respond to the politicisation of their own narratives and participation in violence. Guided by the idea that memory is political, such that how we think about it, speak about it and how create it is a political issue, Women’s Roles in Times of War and Political Violence highlights the fate and experiences of those who have been and are still denied their ‘own voice’ by society. It will therefore appeal to scholars across the social sciences with interests in women’s studies, collective memory and women’s wartime experiences.