History Extra Podcast: What's the State of Women's History in 2025?

Release Date: March 7, 2025

In the March 7, 2025 episode of the History Extra Podcast, hosted by Immediate Media, the focus centers on the evolving landscape of women's history. Titled "What's the State of Women's History in 2025?", the episode convenes a panel of three distinguished historians—Sarah Richardson, Hannah Skoda, and Hannah Cusworth—to explore contemporary trends, emerging challenges, and future directions in the field of women's history. The discussion is timely, marking International Women's Day, and delves into how historical narratives are reshaped to include diverse female experiences.

Introduction to the Panelists

The episode begins with introductions:

• Hannah Cusworth (02:27): A curatorial fellow at Queen's House, Royal Museums Greenwich, and a doctoral student with English Heritage.

• Sarah Richardson (02:42): Professor of Modern British History at the University of Glasgow and convener of the Women's History Network.

• Hannah Skoda (02:55): Fellow and tutor in medieval history at St. John's College, Oxford.

Emerging Trends in Women's History

Intersectionality Takes Center Stage

• Sarah Richardson (03:28) emphasizes the growing emphasis on intersectionality, highlighting the convergence of women's history with other historical approaches such as disability history. She cites the example of deaf women activists in the Soviet Union, illustrating how researchers are moving beyond individual narratives to explore the intricate intersections between various social categories.

Focus on Individual and Collective Experiences

• Hannah Cusworth (04:05) discusses a resurgence in spotlighting individual black women from the past, propelled by their representation in popular media like the television series Bridgerton. She mentions recent novels about figures like Ina Forbes Burnetta and highlights scholarly work that examines the collective experiences of black women in the 20th century, such as Jade Bentle's upcoming book.

Advances in Medieval Women's History

Expanding the Scope Beyond Aristocracy

• Hannah Skoda (05:37) reflects on the success of the British Library's "Medieval Women" exhibition, noting a thriving interest in women's roles across the social spectrum during the Middle Ages. She points out a shift from solely focusing on high-profile figures like Eleanor of Aquitaine to uncovering the lives of women from varied backgrounds. Current research explores themes such as family structures, domestic work, and women's participation in traditionally male-dominated institutions like medieval universities and the Charterhouse in London.

Understudied Areas: Enslaved Women

• Hannah Skoda (07:55) identifies the study of enslaved women in the late medieval period as a critical yet neglected area. She underscores the significance of uncovering the histories of young enslaved women who played pivotal roles in underpinning the Renaissance period, advocating for more scholarly attention in this domain.

The "Girlbossification" of History

Balancing Inspiration with Complexity

• Hannah Cusworth (11:53) critiques the trend of presenting historical female figures as "girl bosses", where complex lives are simplified into inspirational narratives. She warns that this approach can obscure the nuanced and sometimes unsavory aspects of these women's lives, such as political affiliations or connections to transatlantic slavery.

• Sarah Richardson (16:57) echoes this sentiment by highlighting historical figures like the Pankhursts, whose contributions to suffrage are often celebrated without acknowledging their involvement in movements like eugenics. This dichotomy challenges the notion of presenting women solely as heroic figures, urging a more balanced portrayal that includes their multifaceted identities.

Challenges Facing Women's History

Political Volatility and Cultural Resistance

• Hannah Skoda (22:02) discusses the impact of recent political instability and cultural backlash on the study of women's history. The establishment of positions like the Hillary Rodham Clinton Chair in Women's History at Oxford signifies institutional recognition, yet scholars face challenges such as course renaming and ideological purges in certain regions, particularly in the United States.

• Sarah Richardson (25:27) addresses the stigmatization of the term "feminist" within historical discourse. She contends that women's history is often misconstrued as a feminist agenda aimed at disrupting established narratives, which complicates the acceptance and integration of women's historical studies within broader academic and public spheres.

The Relevance of the Women's History Label

Advocating for Continued Segregation in Historical Scholarship

• Hannah Cusworth (27:19) affirms the necessity of the women's history label, arguing that until women's contributions are universally acknowledged across all historical fields, a dedicated focus remains essential. She hopes for a future where women's presence is seamlessly integrated into all historical narratives, but recognizes that current public perceptions still often overlook women's roles.

• Sarah Richardson (27:24) concurs, noting that the existence of organizations like the Women's History Network underscores the ongoing need for specialized platforms to promote and consolidate research on women's histories. She emphasizes that women's historical studies often illuminate broader social dynamics, including intersections with race, sexuality, and class.

Recommendations for Historians and Public Communicators

Integrating Complexity and Encouraging Community Engagement

• Hannah Skoda (30:11) advocates for historians to delve deeper into women's subjectivities, portraying their agency without minimizing the oppression they faced. She illustrates this with the case of three women from late medieval Coventry, whose legal records reveal intricate social networks and personal resilience amidst societal constraints.

• Hannah Cusworth (32:52) calls upon those outside the academic realm—such as television producers and authors—to incorporate women's histories into their narratives. By doing so, the public can develop a more nuanced understanding of women's roles throughout history, moving beyond tokenistic inclusion.

• Sarah Richardson (33:56) highlights the role of the Women's History Network in fostering a collaborative environment that includes not just academics but also community groups and professionals in archives and museums. She advocates for communal efforts to normalize the presence of women in all historical contexts, thereby enriching the collective historical consciousness.

Concluding Thoughts

The episode concludes with the host acknowledging the contributors and providing information about related content and future episodes. Key takeaways emphasize the importance of intersectionality, the need for nuanced portrayals of historical women, and the ongoing challenges posed by political and cultural forces.

Notable Quotes:

• Sarah Richardson (03:28): "The intersectionality between women's history and other different approaches to history is really coming to the fore recently."

• Hannah Cusworth (11:53): "There's a real tendency to do it in public history... presenting these women as kind of consumable motivational figures."

• Hannah Skoda (16:55): "We need to be really careful that when we think we found some amazing kind of success story, that we're not underplaying the sheer degree of oppression which women were facing."

• Sarah Richardson (25:27): "The work that women's historians are doing is being seen to challenge some sort of established view of history."

This comprehensive discussion underscores that while the field of women's history has made significant strides in recent years, particularly through embracing intersectionality and uncovering diverse female narratives, it continues to grapple with the challenges of political resistance and the oversimplification of women's complex histories. The panelists advocate for sustained efforts to integrate women's experiences into the broader historical narrative, ensuring that history recognizes and respects the multifaceted roles women have played across all eras.