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  • © 2022

A Female Activist Elite in Italy (1890–1920)

Its International Network and Legacy

Palgrave Macmillan
  • Uses case study analysis to illustrate the transmission of women’s progressive ideas
  • Traces ideas and practice through the study of archival material
  • Provides an account of an international network of female elites active in Europe, the USA, and South Africa

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Table of contents (10 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-viii
  2. The Political Philanthropy of the Female Elites

    • Elena Laurenzi, Manuela Mosca
    Pages 1-27
  3. A Women’s Network in Early 20th Century Italy

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 29-29
    2. Alice Hallgarten Franchetti: A Woman Beyond Barriers

      • Maria Luciana Buseghin
      Pages 59-92
  4. From Generation to Generation: A Case Study

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 131-131
    2. The Present-Day Heritage

      • Elena Laurenzi
      Pages 175-188
  5. Arts, Politics and Transmission: Methodological and Historiographical Considerations

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 189-189
    2. The Signs of an Art

      • Marisa Forcina
      Pages 191-206
    3. A Feminine and Feminist Story of Transmission

      • À. Lorena Fuster, Fina Birulés
      Pages 227-243
  6. Back Matter

    Pages 245-253

About this book

This book explores and traces the progressive activism and radical ideas of several elite women in Italy beginning in the early 20th century. It discusses the shared political culture that shaped the thinking and the activity of these women, mainly oriented towards political philanthropy and work, seen as the cornerstone of a comprehensive redefinition of gender relations. It also discusses the connections linking them to an international network of women involved in similar political actions and economic initiatives addressing women’s' interests, as well as their legacy for the next generations.

With essays from a range of scholars, this book provides an interdisciplinary framework for understanding these activists and deals with methodological and historiographical issues in reconstructing women’s contribution to history.

Editors and Affiliations

  • University of Salento, Lecce, Italy

    Elena Laurenzi, Manuela Mosca

About the editors

Elena Laurenzi is Professor of the History of Political Thought in the Department of History, University of Salento (Lecce, Italy) and Visiting Professor at the University of Barcelona (UB, Spain). 

Manuela Mosca is Full Professor of the History of Economic Thought in the Department of Economics, University of Salento (Lecce, Italy) and Visiting Professor at the University of Bologna (Italy).

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access