In Search of Female Agency: Latest Trends in Polish Research into Women’s History in Polish Lands in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

Abstract

The article discusses the latest trends in research on women’s history in Poland. Attention is drawn to the increasing number of biographies, and an attempt is made to answer the question of whether and in what direction this type of writing is changing our perception of women’s roles in Polish history. The article discusses the autobiographical literature written by women, whose publications reflect a growing interest in individual history and are a response to the demand to give a voice to previously unheard groups. It raises questions about the role of memoirs in describing past societies and gender order. The role of oral history methods in gaining insight into the past of women and society is also discussed.