ABSTRACT

In the West, women’s history arose amidst the women’s movements of the 1970s. In developing regions such as South Africa, however, the process was delayed and early interest in women was expressed by anthropologists and sociologists. In developing regions, researching, writing, and consuming history is a luxury. This puts more pressure on choosing what to research and write about. This essay focuses on the value of studying women’s history. While the subject is no longer neglected in South Africa, there are areas of women’s history that have been overlooked. Interdisciplinary methods and innovative use of source material could provide the opportunity to study hidden aspects of women’s lives that have been overlooked. These new approaches can challenge past assumptions and shed light on new questions.

摘要

在西方，妇女的历史起源于 1970 年代的妇女运动。然而，在南非等发展中地区，这一进程被推迟，人类学家和社会学家早期就表达了对女性的兴趣。在发展中地区，研究、书写和消费历史是一种奢侈。这给选择研究和写作的内容带来了更大的压力。这篇文章的重点是研究女性历史的价值。虽然这个主题在南非不再被忽视，但女性历史的某些领域却被忽视了。跨学科方法和原始材料的创新使用可以提供机会研究被忽视的女性生活的隐藏方面。这些新方法可以挑战过去的假设并阐明新问题。