Introduction

This chapter launches the collection by introducing key concepts including girls, girlhoods, and Girls’ Studies (Girlhood Studies). Tracing the evolution of the field, the chapter addresses its history of centering White, middle-class, heterosexual, cisgender, non-disabled, Anglophone girls in Western countries before presenting the work of scholars challenging the construction of this normative girl. Finally, the chapter concludes with an introduction of each of the 32 chapters included and encourages the reader to approach the chapters in an order that makes sense to them.