Women's voices in Ireland : women's magazines in the 1950s and 60s / Caitriona Clear.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Clear, Caitríona, 1960-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Woman's life.

Woman's way.

Women's periodicals, Irish--History--20th century.

Women's periodicals, Irish.

Women--Ireland--Correspondence.

Women.

Women--Ireland--Social life and customs--20th century.

Women--Ireland--Social conditions--20th century.

Sex role--Ireland--History--20th century.

Sex role.

Social change--Ireland--History--20th century.

Social change.

History.

Social conditions.

Manners and customs.

Ireland--Social life and customs--20th century.

Ireland.

Ireland--Social conditions--1922-1973.

Women--Social life and customs.

Women--Social conditions.

Genre:

Personal correspondence.

Correspondence.

History.

Physical Description:

xiv, 189 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : Bloomsbury, 2016.

Summary:

"Women's Voices in Ireland examines the letters and problems sent in by women to two Irish women's magazines in the 1950s and 60s, discussing them within their wider social and historical context. In doing so, it provides a unique insight into one of the few forums for female expression in Ireland during this period. Although in these decades more Irish women than ever before participated in paid work, trade unions and voluntary organizations, their representation in politics and public and their workforce participation remained low. Meanwhile, women who came of age from the late 1950s experienced a freedom which their mothers and aunts--married or single, in the workplace or the home--had never known. Diary and letters pages and problem pages in Irish-produced magazines in the 1950s and 60s enabled women from all walks of life to express their opinions and to seek guidance on the social changes they saw happening around them. This book, by examining these communications, gives a new insight into the history of Irish women, and also contributes to the ongoing debate about what women's magazines mean for women's history"--Publisher's website.

Contents:

Explanation of titles and glossary of terms

Map of Ireland

Introduction: "Advice, patterns, etc." : women, magazines, and Ireland in the 1950s and 60s

Talking things over : real women in Woman's Life 1951-9

"Wasting time feeling sorry for yourself" : the problem page in Woman's Life, 1951-59

"No regrets for the days that are gone" : Woman's Way letters page 1 (young people, and miscellaneous)

"Have you been reading Woman's Way too? : letters 2 : women's status

"He didn't seem at all pleased as I was leaving the car" : Woman's Way problems 1 : sex and birth control information

"And then they wonder why their wives are cold" : Woman's Way problems 2 : courtship and marriage

"Everything I do is criticized" : Woman's Way problems 3 : extended family, miscellaneous

Conclusion: Hearing their own names again?

Appendix One: Political, social and economic developments, Ireland, 1951-69

Appendix Two: Other Irish women's magazines in the 1950s and 60s

Appendix Three: Women, paid work and marital status in Ireland.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 175-179) and index.

ISBN:

9781474236683

1474236685

OCLC:

918940662