Restating the case for women’s history in South Africa

ABSTRACT

In the West, women’s history arose amidst the women’s movements of the 1970s. In developing regions such as South Africa, however, the process was delayed and early interest in women was expressed by anthropologists and sociologists. In developing regions, researching, writing, and consuming history is a luxury. This puts more pressure on choosing what to research and write about. This essay focuses on the value of studying women’s history. While the subject is no longer neglected in South Africa, there are areas of women’s history that have been overlooked. Interdisciplinary methods and innovative use of source material could provide the opportunity to study hidden aspects of women’s lives that have been overlooked. These new approaches can challenge past assumptions and shed light on new questions.

KEYWORDS:

• women's history
• gender
• labor
• historiography
• historical methods

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 The term ‘coloured’ has derogatory connotations in some parts of the world, but in Southern Africa it is the accepted and preferred name for people of mixed racial heritage (Adhikari 2013, viii–ix).