Women and War

Abstract

In the traditional representation of war the protagonist is always the man, the soldier, portrayed in his full virility, strength and justified aggressiveness. In every public discourse on war women are presented as the personification of something to be protected and even the country itself, the homeland, that is in danger of being invaded by the enemy. However this stereotype is far from portraying the full range of women’s activity in war. In many cases throughout history, from the mythical Antigone to the forgotten heroism of resistance of women against Nazi-German occupation in the Second World War, women have taken action both to save human lives and to preserve the values of their communities that war threatens to destroy.

Avoiding an essentialist and reductive interpretation that identifies tout court women with peace, this issue explores women’s wartime experiences.