Evolving narratives: feminist and gender perspectives in global historical scholarship

Gender is not merely a theme in historical study but a structuring force that shapes how history is produced, interpreted, and remembered. This paper examines the transformative impact of feminist and gender historiography on the discipline, arguing that gender analysis, particularly when informed by intersectional and non-binary perspectives, provides a critical framework for rethinking historical knowledge. It traces the evolution of gendered approaches, from foundational feminist critiques to contemporary debates on trans inclusion and archival practice. Through critical synthesis and case study analysis, including museum curation, revolutionary memory, and textbook development, the paper demonstrates how gender perspectives expose the systemic exclusions embedded in dominant narratives and institutions. It highlights how intersectionality reveals the entanglement of gender with race, class, and sexuality, thereby expanding the analytical scope of historical interpretation. Ultimately, the paper argues for gender historiography not as an additive corrective, but as a methodological and political imperative, central to constructing more inclusive, reflexive, and just historical narratives.