This thesis investigates the rise, evolution, and eventual decline of the women’s movement in the Russian Empire during the reign of Alexander the Second (1855–1881). Grounded in a feminist theoretical framework, it examines the transformation of women from a position of structural invisibility to one of political agency. By analyzing women-led associations, institutions, and individual contributions, this study provides a nuanced exploration of Russian social history through the lens of women’s experiences. The research investigates the dynamic interplay between structural barriers and women’s collective actions, uncovering how reform-era institutions – such as the Society of Cheap Lodgings and the Women’s Publishing Cooperative – empowered women to navigate and reshape the public sphere. These organizations functioned initially as platforms for lobbying campaigns advocating for women’s higher education, subsequently transforming the women’s movement toward populist ideologies and, ultimately, revolutionary terrorism. Drawing on archival materials, including correspondence, memoirs, and institutional records, this thesis traces the enduring legacy of women’s movements. It demonstrates their cumulative impact on successive generations and their integration into broader socialist and revolutionary frameworks. By interrogating the intersections of gender, class, and regional identities, this work challenges prevailing historiographical narratives that depict women’s activism as fragmented or derivative of male-led movements. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex and transformative role female activists played in the Russian Empire’s societal evolution. It affirms their historical agency within the broader context of European gender and social history, emphasizing the necessity of recognizing women as integral actors in shaping modernity. By bridging the individual, institutional, and political spheres, this study offers a richer, more inclusive narrative of historical change.
Questa tesi indaga l'ascesa, l'evoluzione e il declino del movimento femminile nell'Impero Russo durante il regno di Alessandro II (1855-1881). Basata su un quadro teorico femminista, esamina la trasformazione del movemento femminile da una posizione di invisibilità strutturale a una di agenzia politica. Analizzando le associazioni guidate da donne, le istituzioni e i contributi individuali, questo studio fornisce un'esplorazione sfumata della storia sociale russa attraverso la lente delle esperienze femminili. La ricerca esamina l’interazione dinamica tra le barriere strutturali e le azioni collettive delle donne, rivelando come le istituzioni dell'epoca delle riforme – come la Società degli Alloggi Economici e la Cooperativa Editoriale Femminile – abbiano permesso alle donne di orientarsi e ridefinire la sfera pubblica. Queste organizzazioni hanno inizialmente funzionato come piattaforme per campagne di pressione a favore dell'istruzione superiore femminile, trasformando successivamente il movimento femminile verso ideologie populiste e, infine, verso il terrorismo rivoluzionario. Basandosi su materiali d'archivio, tra cui corrispondenze, memorie e documenti istituzionali, questa tesi traccia l'eredità duratura dei movimenti femminili. Dimostra il loro impatto cumulativo sulle generazioni successive e la loro integrazione in più ampi quadri socialisti e rivoluzionari. Indagando le intersezioni tra genere, classe e identità regionali, questo lavoro sfida le narrazioni storiografiche dominanti che descrivono l'attivismo femminile come frammentato o derivato dai movimenti guidati dagli uomini. Infine, questa tesi contribuisce a una comprensione più profonda del ruolo complesso e trasformativo che le attiviste hanno svolto nell'evoluzione sociale dell'Impero Russo. Afferma la loro agenzia storica nel contesto più ampio della storia sociale e di genere europea, sottolineando la necessità di riconoscere le donne come attori fondamentali nella costruzione della modernità. Collegando le sfere individuale, istituzionale e politica, questo studio offre una narrazione più ricca e inclusiva del cambiamento storico.
From Invisibility to Defiance: A Social History of the Women’s Movement in the Russian Empire (1855-1881)
BRATISHCHEVA, Maria
2025
Abstract
This thesis investigates the rise, evolution, and eventual decline of the women’s movement in the Russian Empire during the reign of Alexander the Second (1855–1881). Grounded in a feminist theoretical framework, it examines the transformation of women from a position of structural invisibility to one of political agency. By analyzing women-led associations, institutions, and individual contributions, this study provides a nuanced exploration of Russian social history through the lens of women’s experiences. The research investigates the dynamic interplay between structural barriers and women’s collective actions, uncovering how reform-era institutions – such as the Society of Cheap Lodgings and the Women’s Publishing Cooperative – empowered women to navigate and reshape the public sphere. These organizations functioned initially as platforms for lobbying campaigns advocating for women’s higher education, subsequently transforming the women’s movement toward populist ideologies and, ultimately, revolutionary terrorism. Drawing on archival materials, including correspondence, memoirs, and institutional records, this thesis traces the enduring legacy of women’s movements. It demonstrates their cumulative impact on successive generations and their integration into broader socialist and revolutionary frameworks. By interrogating the intersections of gender, class, and regional identities, this work challenges prevailing historiographical narratives that depict women’s activism as fragmented or derivative of male-led movements. Ultimately, this thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex and transformative role female activists played in the Russian Empire’s societal evolution. It affirms their historical agency within the broader context of European gender and social history, emphasizing the necessity of recognizing women as integral actors in shaping modernity. By bridging the individual, institutional, and political spheres, this study offers a richer, more inclusive narrative of historical change.File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14242/218043
URN:NBN:IT:SNS-218043