ABSTRACT

The work patterns of European women from 1700 onwards fluctuate in relation to ideological, demographic, economic and familial changes. In A History of European Women's Work, Deborah Simonton draws together recent research and methodological developments to take an overview of trends in women's work across Europe from the so-called pre-industrial period to the present.
Taking the role of gender and class in defining women's labour as a central theme, Deborah Simonton compares and contrasts the pace of change between European countries, distinguishing between Europe-wide issues and local developments.

chapter |9 pages

Introduction

part |73 pages

The Eighteenth Century, C. 1700–90

chapter |24 pages

Women, Household and Farm

chapter |33 pages

Making, Selling, Serving

chapter |14 pages

Location, Skill and Status

part |94 pages

The Nineteenth Century, C. 1790–1880

part |92 pages

The Twentieth Century, C. 1880–1980

chapter |26 pages

Home and Work

chapter |28 pages

New Work

White Blouses in the Tertiary Sector

chapter |10 pages

Conclusion

Gender, Skill and Status