UNTAMED: Women and the Law
Since the 17th century, laws have been created to suppress women’s voices. This two-day symposium will examine some of those laws, as well as the tenacious women who have turned the law to their own advantage from the 1600s to the modern day. Dr. Terri Snyder, author of Brabbling Women: Disorderly Speech and the Law in Early Virginia (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2003), will deliver the keynote address, Women and the Courts in Early Virginia. Dr. Snyder is Professor of American Studies at the University of California, Fullerton.
Type: Call for Papers
Subject Fields: Women’s and Gender History/Law & Legal History
2019 marks the 400th anniversary of the Virginia Company of London recruiting English women to make good wives for settlers in Virginia. Jamestown Settlement’s “TENACITY: Women in Jamestown and Early Virginia,” is a story-driven special exhibition using artifacts, images and primary sources – some on display in America for the first time – to examine the struggles and contributions of the English, Powhatan and African women whose experiences helped shape our nation. From women’s roles to women’s rights, the exhibition connects issues of the 17th century and their relevance today.
The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation invites proposals for papers to be presented at its “UNTAMED: Women and the Law” symposium to be held September 13-14, 2019 at Jamestown Settlement in Williamsburg, Virginia. The symposium will examine the history of women in America, from pre-colonial times to today, through the lens of the law.
Proposals for “Untamed: Women and the Law” should explore a topic related to the women’s legal status or legal issues in America. Topics might include the evolution of laws governing women and marriage, family, education, work, healthcare, civil rights, politics and the intersection of gender with identity categories of race, class, sexuality, age and ability.
The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation invites proposals from graduate students, scholars, and public history practitioners. Proposals should include:
- Title, subject field and a 250-word abstract
- Short vita (two page maximum)
- Length of presentation, with options for 20-minute or 40-minute sessions
- Name, email address