Erin K. Knutson and Dr. Rebecca de Schweinitz, History Department
Feminism is a global phenomenon but not a monolith. Its goal of a more liberated, self-directed existence for women is common, but the methods employed to make this a reality vary among cultures and individuals. The United States, though full of radical feminist activity, has no hegemony on feminism. Italian feminism, along with other feminisms, have “fallen victim to a kind of cultural imperialism”. Though certainly influenced by the United States’ version of feminism, Italian feminism “nevertheless remains distinctly Italian”. Placing feminism in a global context allows for exploration of common tactics utilized by women across cultures and exposes strategies unique to different groups of women.
My research explored the developments in Italian feminism, beginning in the desperate post-World War I years, moving through the conservative fascist era, and focusing on the turbulent years following World War II. The more familiar feminism of the United States was used as a point of reference to the more obscure Italian movement.
I hypothesized that Italian women faced specific challenges due to the power of the Catholic church which permeated nearly every aspect of Italian life. I also hypothesized that gender and political conservatism would be more dominant in a post-war society full of economic and political uncertainty.
To facilitate this research I have studied primary texts consisting of novels, personal memoirs, manifestos, and philosophical writings. These are both translated works and works written in the original Italian. I have also used the same types of resources to represent the American perspective as well.
My research demonstrated that American and Italian feminist philosophies are fundamentally different. Italian women seek for parity, maintaining their femininity while forging a female space in male dominated spheres of business, politics, and academics. American women seek for equality, either denying the existence of gender differences or insisting upon their irrelevance. This philosophical foundation permeates the words and actions of each movement.
The Catholic church greatly affected the growth of the women’s movement. The church and its affiliate Democrazia Cristiana political party exercised substantial control over Italy after World War II. They promoted conservative roles for women just as women were obtaining the vote and getting elected to parliament. It was not until after Vatican Council II in 1958 that significant changes regarding women occurred. Through this council, Catholics were counseled that special care be given to the “‘most humble, the poorest, the weakest’” and to treat women’s advancement as a “‘sign of the times’”. Italian women all across the spectrum of Catholic persuasion could engage in feminist activity without their former guilt or shame.
The following decade created a feminist consciousness unprecedented in Italy and the United States. Radical groups organized themselves, publishing manifestos and other writings, demonstrating, and recruiting new member to their cause. Major feminist victories paralleled many of those of the United States. Women could obtain a legal divorce. Family laws, labor laws, and family planning measures of the 1970s helped to establish a more self-directed existence. Despite legal achievements and energetic activism similar to that of the United States, Italy continued its unique claim on femininity and the desire for a female public space, not the chance to imitate male roles.
Future research could include further comparative analyses of Italian feminism with other feminisms, perhaps with other Catholic-dominated or Mediterranean countries. A study of Italian American women and Italian women might prove insightful.
The greatest obstacle I faced was the inaccessibility of certain materials, some located in other parts of the United States and many in Italian archives.
This research will be presented at the Phi Alpha Theta History Honors Society Conference on January 6-9th in San Diego, California.
References
- Paola Bono and Sandra Kemp, ed., Italian Feminist Thought (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, Inc., 1991), 1.
- Bono 2.
- Birnbaum 6.