The Oxford Handbook of Women and Gender in Medieval Europe
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Author Description
The Oxford Handbook Of Women And Gender In Medieval Europe Provides A Comprehensive Overview Of The Gender Rules Encountered In Europe In The Period Between Approximately 500 And 1500 C.e. The Essays Collected In This Volume Speak To Interpretative Challenges Common To All Fields Of Women's And Gender History - That Is, How Best To Uncover The Experiences Of Ordinary People From Archives Formed Mainly By And About Elite Males, And How To Combine Social Histories Of Lived Experiences With Cultural Histories Of Gendered Discourses And Identities. The Collection Focuses On Western Europe In The Middle Ages But Offers Some Consideration Of Medieval Islam And Byzantium. The Handbook Is Structured Into Seven Sections: Christian, Jewish, And Muslim Thought; Law In Theory And Practice; Domestic Life And Material Culture; Labour, Land, And Economy; Bodies And Sexualities; Gender And Holiness; And The Interplay Of Continuity And Change Throughout The Medieval Period. It Contains Material From Some Of The Foremost Scholars In This Field, And It Not Only Serves As The Major Reference Text In Medieval And Gender Studies, But Also Provides An Agenda For Future New Research.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates the complex social, cultural, and legal frameworks that defined gender roles and the experiences of women across Europe between 500 and 1500 C.E. Edited by Judith M. Bennett and Ruth Mazo Karras, the text synthesizes contributions from leading scholars to address the methodological challenge of reconstructing the lives of non-elite individuals from male-dominated archival sources. The authors argue for an integrated approach that bridges social history with cultural analysis to better understand the interplay of identity and power in the medieval world.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of gendered discourses within Christian, Jewish, and Muslim traditions
- Examination of legal theory versus practical application in medieval society
- Investigations into domestic life, material culture, and economic labor
- Studies on the intersection of bodies, sexualities, and religious holiness
- A structured framework for future research in medieval gender studies
Scope Limits
- Primary focus remains on Western Europe with limited comparative analysis of Byzantium and the Islamic world
- Does not provide a comprehensive narrative history but rather a collection of thematic scholarly essays
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and students frequently cite this work as a foundational reference text for understanding the historiography of gender in the Middle Ages. Readers note the high academic density of the prose, which serves as a standard resource for advanced research and pedagogical development in the field.
Page Count:
642
Publication Date:
2013-01-01
Publisher:
Oup Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191667293
ISBN-13:
9780191667299
History
Gender Studies
Womens History
