Ulla Manns

Biography

B. 1959. Professor in Gender Studies, Södertörn University, Docent in History of Ideas. PhD in History of Ideas, Stockholm University 1997 with the dissertation Den sanna frigörelsen: Fredrika-Bremer-förbundet 1884-1921, which received the Sten Lindroth Prize. Has published a number of studies on 19th century feminism, and been involved in several research projects within Gender History. Presently responsible for project ”Translating and Constructing Gender Studies in The Nordic Region, 1975-2005” (Baltic Sea Foundation). In 2006 Guest professor at the History Department, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, New York.

ulla.manns@sh.se

Ulla Manns at School of Gender Studies, Culture and History

Ongoing research

Manns studies historical consciousness in 19th century feminism, when numerous publications were produced by Western activists (Deraismes, Gripenberg, Abensour). The purpose of the project is to analyze how memory and politics interact within the making of feminism through a construction of history, analyzing major European publications from the period. Feminist leadership deliberately used history to socialize feminists and make politics (cf. Manns 2000, 2009). Ethical, political and religious ideals created strong narratives about feminism and representations of feminists, and ideological stances. In all, these narratives played an important role in the larger construction of a western feminist Pantheon. This honoured place of memory told about what and who was to be remembered, as well as how feminism was to be comprehended in the light of historical and political circumstances. The project takes its point of departure from historiography, post-colonial discussions about linearity and inherent structures of progress and dualism within Western thinking, and in feminist theories about identity formation as processes (Chakrabarty, Mignolo, Spivak, Butler, Scott). Memory politics, historical narration, knowledge production and socialization within early Western feminism have not been analyzed sufficiently. In shedding light on the forming of feminist historical consciousness, its “we”, and how it functioned in a larger political and geo-political framework, the study will provide knowledge about meta-historical structures within Western political thinking. Manns is part of the board of directors for the program. The result will be published in the form of a monograph in English, and 1-2 articles in international journals.

Selected bibliography

”Time, Space and Place in the Writings of Alexandra Gripenberg”, in Women and Historical Writing in the Nordic Countries ed. T. Kinnunen, Univ. of Joensuu and M. Leskelä-Kärki, (Univ. of Turku, forthcoming)

– ”Rörelsens rum: det lesbiska i nordisk kvinnoforskning”, i Att göra historia red. M. Sjöberg & Y. Svanström (Institutet för framtidsstudier, Stockholm 2008)

– ”Idéhistoriens kön”, i Idéhistoria i tiden: Perspektiv på ämnets identitet under sjut¬tiofem år red. N Andersson & H Björck (Stockholm: Symposion, 2008)

– Upp systrar, väpnen er! Kön och politik i svensk 1800-talsfeminism (Stockholm: Atlas förlag, 2005)

– ”Så skriver vi historia: Den svenska kvinnorörelsen ur ett historiografiskt perspek¬tiv”, Kvinnovetenskaplig tidskrift 4/2000 (reprinted in Kvinnorna skall göra det! Den kvinnliga medborgarskolan på Fogelstad – som idé, text och histo¬ria, red. E. Witt-Brattström & L. Lennerhed (Samtidshistoriska institutet, 2003)