On Emancipation: Gender and National Narratives in Romanian Periodicals of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867-1904)

The paper analyzes the debates surrounding the emancipation of Romanian women from Transylvania. I examined the second half of the nineteenth century, beginning in 1867 when the establishment of the Austro-Hungarian Empire marked a pivotal moment in the Romanians’ nation-building process. The study explores the discussions surrounding women's emancipation as portrayed in the periodical press of the era. Using a gender history framework, the paper positions gender as a crucial category for historical analysis, essential for investigating the Romanian national movement in Transylvania. The study investigates how gender identity was constructed and how male authors engaged with and responded to the idea of women’s emancipation. My findings illustrate that the gender norms of the era influenced the discussions regarding national priorities, while nationalism and the national agenda shaped perceptions and defined the limits of women’s emancipation.