University of Washington Press From Left to Right: Maternalism and Women’s Political Activism in Postwar Canada

In From Left to Right, Brian Thorn explores what motivated Canadian women to become politically engaged in the 1940s and '50s. Although women in these decades are often depicted as being trapped in the suburbs, they joined diverse political parties, including the CCF, Social Credit, and the Communist Party of Canada. Thorn argues, controversially, that while women on the "left" and "right" had different goals, their activism continued to be informed by maternalism. They used their roles as wives and mothers to influence their parties' positions and break down barriers. Along the way, they laid the foundations for the 1960s feminist movement. Review By comparing the roles and efforts of women who belonged not only to left-wing parties but also to the right wing, Brian Thorn offers a new and useful perspective on women’s political activism during the postwar decades. Author: Julie Guard, Labour Studies Program, University of Manitoba Book Description This fresh look at Canadian women’s political engagement during the Cold War finds that, whether they were on the “left” or “right” end of the political spectrum, women were motivated by similar concerns and the desire to forge a new vision for their nation. From the Author Brian T. Thorn teaches English and history at Nipissing University. His scholarly articles dealing with Canadian political, labour, intellectual, and gender history have appeared in Left History, Histoire sociale/Social History, and Labour/Le Travail. About the Author Brian T. Thorn teaches in the Departments of English and History at Nipissing University.