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 Abbey17th-century English poets19th-century atheistsVictorian novelists17th-century English dramatists and playwrights17th-century English writers19th-century English novelistsEnglish atheistsEnglish travel writersEnglish women poetsFrench women philosophers19th-century English women writersEnglish feminist writers, English feministsEnglish women novelists17th-century English philosophers18th-century English writersEnglish abolitionistsEnglish writers with disabilitiesPseudonymous women writers18th-century British philosophers18th-century English non-fiction writers18th-century pseudonymous writers19th-century British economists19th-century English philosophersBritish women essayistsEnglish UnitariansEnglish educational theoristsEnglish historical novelistsEnglish suffragistsEnglish women activistsEnglish women non-fiction writersEnglish women philosophersVictorian women writersWriters from Norwich14th-century Italian philosophers15th-century Italian philosophers17th-century English educators17th-century English women writers17th-century pseudonymous writers18th-century English philosophers18th-century English women writers19th-century English historians19th-century English short story writersBritish atheism activistsBritish scientists with disabilitiesBritish women's rights activistsEnglish 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 ↗
     
    CultureEnglish feminist writers, English feministsTory poetsBurials at Westminster Abbey17th-century English writersEnglish women poets17th-century English dramatists and playwrightsFeminism and historyEnglish women dramatists and playwrights17th-century English poets17th-century English women writersEnglish spiesEnglish women novelists

  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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    CultureRhetoricians15th-century Italian philosophersFrench women philosophers14th-century Italian philosophersFeminism and history

  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 ↗
     
    History19th-century English short story writersEnglish travel writersEnglish atheistsPositivistsFeminism and historyEnglish suffragistsEnglish women philosophersEnglish writers with disabilitiesEnglish abolitionistsEnglish historical novelistsWriters from NorwichVictorian novelists19th-century English novelists19th-century English historiansBritish women essayists19th-century British economists19th-century English philosophers19th-century atheists19th-century English women writersEnglish UnitariansVictorian women writersEnglish people of French descentBritish atheism activistsBritish scientists with disabilitiesEnglish women novelists

  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 ↗
     
    Philosophy18th-century English women writersFeminism and history17th-century English philosophers17th-century English women writersEnglish feminist writers, English feminists18th-century English writersPseudonymous women writersEnglish women activistsFeminist studies scholars18th-century pseudonymous writersEnglish rhetoricians18th-century British philosophers18th-century English philosophers17th-century English writers17th-century pseudonymous writers17th-century English educatorsEnglish educational theoristsEnglish women non-fiction writers18th-century English non-fiction writersBritish women's rights activists