Poets, Soldiers, Doctors, and Travellers: Intersectional Experiences of Women in Modern Eastern Europe

Session Submission Type: Panel

Brief Description

This conference panel aims to critically examine the intricate intersections of gender, identity formation, and women's agency within diverse cultural, social, and political contexts in nineteenth and twentieth century Eastern Europe. Through an intersectional approach, the panelists will delve into the multifaceted dynamics that shape intersecting identities such as gender, race, class, ethnicity, and nationality, and their implications for individuals' experiences, opportunities, and rights. Drawing on empirical research and theoretical insights, the panel examines the ways in which gender identities are constructed, negotiated, and contested across diverse cultural, social, and historical contexts. It reveals how intersecting forms of oppression and privilege shape women's access to resources, rights, and opportunities, highlighting the importance of addressing systemic inequalities and injustices. Furthermore, the panel will explore how the formation of gender identities intersects with broader processes of identity formation, including national, ethnic, religious, and cultural identities. It will examine how these intersecting identities shape individuals' perceptions of self and others, their access to social, economic, and political resources, and their experiences of belonging and exclusion within society. Through a series of case studies, theoretical reflections, and comparative analyses, the panel will provide insights into the complexities of gender, identity, and women's agency in nineteenth and twentieth century Eastern Europe.

Sub Unit

• Gender/LGBTQ Studies

Chair

• Katerina Liskova, Institute of History CAS (Czech Republic)

Papers

• Gender, Women´s Emancipation, and Socialism in the Lives of Two Medical Doctors: A Comparative Look on East Germany and Poland - José Luis Aguilar López-Barajas, Institute of History CAS (Czech Republic)

• 'To Read and to Question': Gender, Race, and African American Women in the USSR, 1930s - Madeleine Stout, Florida State U

• Soviet Women’s War Stories: Reimagining Women’s Violence in Svetlana Alexievich’s Narratives - Liubov Kartashova, Duke U

• Between Tradition and Modernity: Exploring Women's Roles and Identities in 19th Century Serbia - Dragana Zivkovic, Florida State U

Discussant

• Lisa A. Kirschenbaum, West Chester U