Portrait of Lord Melvyn Bragg, host of In Our Time

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Feminism and history

The history of feminism comprises the narratives (chronological or thematic) of the movements and ideologies which have aimed at equal rights for women. While feminists around the world have differed in causes, goals, and intentions depending on time, culture, and country, most Western feminist historians assert that all movements that work to obtain women's rights should be considered feminist movements, even when they did not (or do not) apply the term to themselves.

4 episodes

Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:

CultureHistoryPhilosophyBurials at Westminster Abbey19th-century atheistsVictorian novelists17th-century English poets17th-century English writers19th-century English novelistsEnglish travel writersEnglish women poetsFrench women philosophers17th-century English dramatists and playwrights19th-century English women writersEnglish atheistsEnglish feminists, English feminist writersEnglish women novelists17th-century English philosophers18th-century English writersEnglish abolitionistsPseudonymous women writers18th-century British philosophers18th-century English non-fiction writers18th-century pseudonymous writers19th-century British economists19th-century English philosophersBritish women essayistsEnglish UnitariansEnglish educational theoristsEnglish suffragistsEnglish women activistsEnglish women non-fiction writersEnglish women philosophersEnglish writers with disabilitiesVictorian women writersWriters from Norwich14th-century Italian philosophers15th-century Italian philosophers17th-century English educators17th-century English women writers18th-century English philosophers18th-century English women writers19th-century English short story writersBritish atheism activistsBritish scientists with disabilitiesBritish women's rights activistsEnglish historical novelists, 19th-century English historiansEnglish people of French descentEnglish rhetoriciansEnglish spiesEnglish women dramatists and playwrightsFeminist studies scholarsPositivistsRhetoriciansTory poets

  1. Aphra Behn

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and work of Aphra Behn, known for her plays for the Restoration stage such as The Rover and for her novel Oroonoko.

    12 October 2017

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    Featuring: Janet Todd, Ros Ballaster, Claire Bowditch

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    CultureBurials at Westminster AbbeyEnglish women poets17th-century English poets17th-century English writersEnglish women novelists17th-century English dramatists and playwrightsFeminism and history17th-century English women writersEnglish women dramatists and playwrightsEnglish spiesTory poetsEnglish feminists, English feminist writers

  2. Christine de Pizan

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Christine de Pizan (c1364-1430) who, according to Simone de Beauvoir, was the first woman to 'take up her pen in defence of her sex'.

    8 June 2017

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    Featuring: Helen Swift, Miranda Griffin, Marilynn Desmond

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    CultureFrench women philosophersFeminism and history14th-century Italian philosophers15th-century Italian philosophersRhetoricians

  3. Harriet Martineau

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Harriet Martineau who wrote extensively in the C19th on a wide range of subjects including abolition, and is called the mother of sociology.

    8 December 2016

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    Featuring: Valerie Sanders, Karen O'Brien, Ella Dzelzainis

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    HistoryVictorian novelists19th-century atheists19th-century English novelistsEnglish travel writersEnglish atheistsEnglish women novelists19th-century English women writersEnglish abolitionistsFeminism and historyEnglish women philosophersWriters from NorwichEnglish writers with disabilities19th-century British economistsEnglish Unitarians19th-century English philosophersBritish women essayistsEnglish suffragistsVictorian women writersBritish scientists with disabilitiesBritish atheism activistsEnglish people of French descentPositivists19th-century English short story writersEnglish historical novelists, 19th-century English historians

  4. Mary Astell

    Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the philosopher Mary Astell (1666 – 1731) who has been described as "the first English feminist".

    5 November 2020

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    Featuring: Hannah Dawson, Mark Goldie, Teresa Bejan

    wikipedia article ↗
     
    Philosophy17th-century English writersPseudonymous women writers17th-century English philosophers18th-century English writersFeminism and history18th-century English non-fiction writers18th-century British philosophersEnglish educational theoristsEnglish women activistsEnglish women non-fiction writers18th-century pseudonymous writersEnglish rhetoricians17th-century English educators17th-century English women writers18th-century English women writersBritish women's rights activists18th-century English philosophersFeminist studies scholarsEnglish feminists, English feminist writers