An expanding field of historical study is interested in examining the connection between gendered spaces in academia and the dynamic identities available within them, inspired by the theoretical framework of the “scientific persona”. By drawing on this discussion, the thesis aims to showcase the institutional and social circumstances through which early female university students came to produce and reshape academic identities in Sweden in the 1890s. It focuses on the establishment of “Uppsala kvinnliga studentförening” (UKSF), the first local university association for women students in Sweden, thus locating the process that produces academic identities at the crossroad of individual and collective strategies and forums. To this end, the thesis analyzes UKSF’s protocols in addition to autobiographical documents by two early members, Lydia Wahlström and Gulli Petrini. The study shows that by providing a collective forum, UKSF managed to enable a wholly new way of being a female student. This process, which shaped both collective and individual identities, was linked to socialization and assimilation. A complete assimilation through the embodiment of an available male academic persona was, however, not possible. Rather, the female students merged identities based on several repertoires. For instance, Lydia Wahlström crystallized a persona drawing on the position as president of UKSF. At times, however, she seems to have embodied male academic personae in male dominated academic spheres. The essay additionally offers approaches to analyzing the long-lasting challenge for female students to aspire an academic career.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-529622 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Hanérus, Liv |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för idéhistoria |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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