College women in the nuclear age : cultural literacy and female identity, 1940-1960 / Babette Faehmel.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Faehmel, Babette, 1970-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Women--Education (Higher)--United States--History--20th century.

Women.

Women college students--United States--History--20th century.

Women college students.

Sex differences in education--United States--History--20th century.

Sex differences in education.

Feminism--United States--History--20th century.

Feminism.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (251 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

New Brunswick, N.J. : Rutgers University Press, c2012.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In the popular imagination, American women during the time between the end of World War II and the 1960's—the era of the so-called “feminine mystique”—were ultraconservative and passive. College Women in the Nuclear Age takes a fresh look at these women, showing them actively searching for their place in the world while engaging with the larger intellectual and political movements of the times. Drawing from the letters and diaries of young women in the Cold War era, Babette Faehmel seeks to restore their unique voices and to chronicle their collective ambitions. She also explores the shifting roles that higher education played in establishing these hopes and dreams, making the case that the GI Bill served to diminish the ambitions of many American women even as it opened opportunities for many American men. A treasure-trove of original research, the book should stimulate scholarly discussion and captivate any reader interested in the thoughts and lives of American women.

Contents:

Front matter

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. Campus Life in Times of Crisis

2. "But Dad!"

3. Not Part of the Crowd

4. Individualism and Sexuality

5. College Women and the Clash of Mystiques

Conclusion

Student Diaries and Letters Consulted

Notes

Selected Bibliography

Index

About the Author

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-283-73519-9

0-8135-5319-9

OCLC:

808490360