Routledge - Regulating Womanhood: Historical Essays on Law

Explore the complex history of social regulation and female agency in this collection from Routledge. Regulating Womanhood offers a deep look into how law shaped marriage, motherhood, and sexuality throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. This volume moves beyond simple narratives of oppression to examine how women actively negotiated and resisted legal frameworks. Through diverse case studies spanning Europe and the USA, these original essays analyze the moments when personal aspects of life became matters of public policy. Readers will find a detailed examination of the resistance that emerged in response to legal controls. This book serves as a significant resource for those studying the evolution of women's rights and the historical impact of legal systems on social identity.