Development of gender researches in early modern history

This article is devoted to the description of "woman" and gender historical studies in the light of history of theEuropean ruling elite of early modern history. The bibliography of works of the analytical and specifically historical plan is given, andthe basic themes, notions, theoretical positions and separate approaches are sorted out. It is emphasized that modern gender history isone of the most rapidly developing historical subdisciplines. Stages of formation of the specified research area are given. "Woman'shistory" appeared in late 1960s − early1970s; "Man's History", or historical andrology, appeared in 1980s. Special value for the considereddirection of theoretical ideas of the American scientists is emphasized; the European (German and French) historians' contributionis analysed. The wave of topical historical publications from the boundary of 1970-1980s is characterized. The important scientific seriesand collective projects, and also the monographic researches devoted to the problem of gender in the history as a whole, and actually histories of the European elite of early modern history are named. The condition of researches in the national science, in general, aswell as in the regional studies is estimated. It is marked that "woman's history" possesses its own conceptual and notional device andrange of scientific problems, theoretical positions that developed on the basis of processing of feminist movement ideas, and it also usesinterdisciplinary scientific methods and concepts of "new social history". The use of neo-Marxian theoretical model, the notion of thepatriarchal society, the concept of "incorporating spheres" and some other statements promoted some new themes for research, first ofall, concerning the study of vital spheres and daily practice of women. The direction concentrated on the study of the history of man'srepresentations and discourses about women is actively developed. A new set of problems was generated within "Man's history", includingthe history of courage, paternity, man's honour and so forth. The consequences are analysed of re-thinking of the subject, of theconceptual device and methodological principles at the turn from "woman's history" proper to the "history of genders". The specificsystem of notions, such as gender stratification, gender system, gender contract and a lot of others, spread broadly in gender history.Sociological concepts, including socially-constructivist approach, which considers historical reality and gender differences as a result ofsocial constructing, influenced strongly the language and rhetoric of historical gender researches. The concepts of gender identity, socialand sexual roles and institutes of socialization gained in importance. The theoretical positions of the so-called "Linguistic turn" with anemphasis on the active participation of verbal practices in modelling the social reality played an especially significant role. The theory ofthe "power of speaking" raised a problem of the strategies of authority hidden in the language. Great attention was given to the study ofthe literary discourse and its communication with the social reality, especially during the epoch of transition. The notions of thewoman's and man's letters entered the science. The Christian "anthropology of sexes" and gender discourses of mass texts were analysed.The author comes to a conclusion, that the general theoretical positions and research approaches of woman's and gender historyhave found wide application in studying elite in the epoch of early modern history; and at the same time certain specificity, first of all,connected with the features of social existence of the considered social group is inherent in the given area. So, one of the central themesbecame studying of the forms of political behaviour of women, gender aspects of functioning of such important institutes, as a courtyard of the governor and the dynasty. A lot of attention is given to the activity of elite women in the field of culture and art. Among theactively developed themes it is possible to name studying of religiousness and, in particular, processes of confessionalization amongwomen of the elite, the institute of women widowhood, the family strategy of the elite and some others.

Keywords

Authors

References