History Matters Patriarchy and the Challenge of Feminism

Written for everyone interested in women’s and gender history, History matters reaffirms the importance of viewing history from a distance and with feminist intent. Judith Bennett argues that the achievement of a more feminist future relies on rich, plausible, and well-informed history that is alert to the workings of patriarchal power.

“This is a book that will help us think deeper, and better, about the history we practice and its impact in the world.”
Laura Gowing, King’s College, London

“This is a remarkable work, at once erudite, insightful, witty, provocative, and analytically brilliant. Bennett writes with narrative verve and energy that captures the reader in both her compelling argument and detailed evidence.”
Bonnie G. Smith, Rutgers University

“Judith Bennett offers a striking analysis of the current state of feminist history. In a series of lucid chapters, she demonstrates the political and intellectual consequences of forgetting the past. This book should be required reading for every feminist who cares about the future.”
Martha Vicinus, University of Michigan

Written for everyone interested in women’s and gender history, History Matters reaffirms the importance to feminist theory and activism of long-term historical perspectives. Judith M. Bennett, who has been commenting on developments in women’s and gender history since the 1980s, argues that the achievement of a more feminist future relies on a rich, plausible, and well-informed knowledge of the past, and she asks her readers to consider what sorts of feminist history can best advance the struggles of the twenty-first century. A new manifesto, History Matters engages forthrightly with the challenges faced by feminist historians today.

Written for everyone interested in women’s and gender history, History matters reaffirms the importance to feminist theory and activism of long-term historical perspectives. Judith M. Bennett takes as her central problem the growing chasm between feminism and history which, although closely allied in the 1970s, have now moved away from one another. Seeking to narrow this gap, Bennett proposes that feminist historians turn their attention to the intellectual challenges posed by the persistence of patriarchy. She posits a 'patriarchal equilibrium' whereby, despite many changes in women’s experiences over past centuries, women’s status vis-à-vis men has remained remarkably unchanged. Bennett argues that the theoretical challenge posed by this 'patriarchal equilibrium' will be best met by long-term historical perspectives that reach back well before the modern era.

A new manifesto, History matters engages forthrightly with the challenges faced by feminist historians today. It argues for the radical potential of a history that is focused on feminist issues, aware of the distant past, attentive to continuities over time, and alert to the workings of patriarchal power.