Ženska povijest na valovima feminizma

Abstract

The article analyzes the entangled history of feminism and women’s history over the long period from the emergence of feminist thought to the challenges and changes of the 21st century. Based on the concept of four waves of feminism, the paper is organized into four separate chapters that show the development of feminism, women’s history, Croatian feminism, and finally the history of women in Croatia in each phase, while seeking continuities and discontinuities, links and points of divergence. It concludes that women’s history and feminism are intertwined at the theoretical, social and cultural-political level. They open and consider similar questions, and borrow patterns, terminology and arguments from each other. They were supported, conceived and implemented by the same circle of women and men, especially in the second wave, which played a key role in the creation and representation of contemporary feminism. During the third wave, there is a separation of the activist and theoretical aspects of feminism, as well as the emancipation of women’s history from its status as a political tool of feminism. However, the emergence of the fourth wave has shown that feminist criticism of society is not exhausted, nor is its connection to women’s and gender history. Feminism in Croatia developed simultaneously as an indigenous and imported concept. Although feminist ideas undoubtedly come from Western countries and we can follow similar trends in Croatian and global feminism in each wave, they were also implemented and adapted to local political and social circumstances and needs: national movements, socialism, war, transition or European integration. Finally, women’s history in Croatia developed in accordance with the achievements of local feminism, historiography and socio-political circumstances. Numerous similarities with general trends can be traced: a closer intermingling with the women’s movement and feminism, political engagement during the first and second waves, and the heterogeneity of approaches and themes since the end of the 20th century. However, the dynamics of its development, choice of topics and popularity were also determined by political context.