The Emergence and Development of Women’s Magazines in Russia and Japan (second half of 18th - 19th century)

Abstract

The history of development of women’s magazines is closely connected with the change of women’s status in the society. In Russia in the 18th century the reforms of social system under Peter the Great and Catherine the Great influenced the development of education and increase of literacy rate. As a result, noblewomen joined the reading as an intellectual activity. In 1779 N.I. Novikov published the first women’s magazine that marked the start of publication of books and magazines for women. In Japan, the first women’s magazine was published by hands of men in 1884 to enlighten women during the Meiji Era (1868-1912), when Japan underwent metamorphosis from the feudal society to a modern monarchy and introduced the new national system of governance, including education. The emergence of women’s magazines in Japan is also related to the increase of female readers and development of system of girl’s education as an instrument of state policy. There was difference in how the concept of “woman - dutiful wife and devoted mother” was introduced in Russian and Japanese societies, but it was adopted in both countries as dominant ideology for women’s education. It is concluded that women’s magazines from the government point of view, based on the concept “woman - dutiful wife and devoted mother”, were used to a certain extent as study guide for character education of perfect women.