Catholic Women's Movements in Liberal and Fascist Italy

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-viii

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Helena Dawes

   Pages 1-7

3. The Italian State, the Catholic Church and Women

   • Helena Dawes

   Pages 8-43

4. The Cultural, Political and Ideological Context of Femminismo Cristiano

   • Helena Dawes

   Pages 44-63

5. Femminismo Cristiano

   • Helena Dawes

   Pages 64-112

6. The Radicalization of Femminismo Cristiano in Elisa Salerno

   • Helena Dawes

   Pages 113-150

7. The Conservative Catholic Women’s Movements

   • Helena Dawes

   Pages 151-214

8. Conclusion

   • Helena Dawes

   Pages 215-218

9. Back Matter

   Pages 219-283

   PDF

In the early 1900s the Catholic Church appealed, for the first time in its history, directly to women to reassert its religious, political and social relevance in Italian society. This book examines how the highly successful conservative Catholic women's movements that followed, and how they mobilized women against secular feminism.

• fascism
• history
• women
• religion and gender
• religion and society

Helena Dawes is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia. Her research interests lie in Italian history, particularly women and fascism.

Policies and ethics