For a few years now, on my school breaks, I have jumped at the chance to write research papers on topics that I have been drawn to throughout the year. I don't limit myself to a particular century or topic in this case, but jot down topics that pique my interest throughout the year and then decide which to write about closer to break time. For instance, 3 years ago, I had heard of women mystics who joined ecclesiastic orders during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. I began wondering if they were able to move around societal norms and structures given the nature of their "gifts." I wrote a paper on Theresa of Avila and became enthralled by the story of her life. I will post that here at some point, I have to dig it out of some older files. Currently, my interests have become centered around the role of women on Crusade. I have always been fascinated by wartime issues that would be considered rather mundane by many (feeding armies, illness in large groups, military class differentiation etc) and was was also struck by the fact that in many modern sources women were categorized as camp followers and laundresses pretty exclusively. Combining those two interests I started seeking out "between the line," information. Were women mentioned in narratives? If so in what capacity? Was it a respectful mention? Was it a mentioned in gendered tones? I am a fan of historic detective work and so began seeking out the info I sought.
Without further ado, here is what I found. Please click on the PDF below if the Scribd doc wont open.
Without further ado, here is what I found. Please click on the PDF below if the Scribd doc wont open.
vital_roles_in_a_gendered_world.pdf |