National Council on Public History

PROPOSAL TYPE

Roundtable

SEEKING

• Seeking Additional Presenters

RELATED TOPICS

• Oral History
• Social Justice

ABSTRACT

Although historians have written about a wide range of United States feminist movements, including the anti-rape and reproductive rights movements, little has been written about the origins and developments of the battered women’s movement. What has been written, starting in the 1980s, discusses how the battered women’s movement was co-opted by its relationship with the state, through the development of criminal and civil laws to address domestic violence and through the institutionalization of government funding for domestic violence services. My research attempts to locate the history of the battered women’s movement in California to illuminate what the movement looked like in the days before its established relationship with the state.

DESCRIPTION

My research to date has shown that writing the history of the battered women’s movement in California will require piecing together many disparate parts because there was less of a “movement” in the traditional sense than there was for issues like anti-rape advocacy. I would like to present the evidence I have gathered and have a discussion with the audience about the following: 1) interdisciplinary approaches that might help me present a more complete analysis of the evidence I have gathered; 2) theoretical approaches to explain the evidence; and 3) ideas about addressing personal biases during the oral history part of my research (specifically biases about the effectiveness of “the movement” in light of current discussions about anti-carceral feminism). I would like to present as part of a panel, hopefully with others who either are researching feminist revolutions or are looking at movements in the United States between 1945-1994.

If you have a direct offer of assistance, sensitive criticism, or wish to pass along someone’s contact information confidentially, please get in contact directly:
Erin Scott, University of Edinburgh, [email protected]

All feedback and offers of assistance should be sent by  November 15, 2025. If you have general ideas or feedback to share, please feel free to use the comments feature below.

Discussion