Maternalism Reconsidered: Motherhood, Welfare and Social Policy in the Twentieth Century (International Studies in Social History Book 20)

Beginning in the late 19th century, competing ideas about motherhood had a profound impact on the development and implementation of social welfare policies. Calls for programmes aimed at assisting and directing mothers emanated from all quarters of the globe, advanced by states and voluntary organizations, liberals and conservatives, feminists and anti-feminists - a phenomenon that scholars have since termed 'maternalism'. This volume reassesses maternalism by providing critical reflections on prior usages of the concept, and by expanding its meaning to encompass geographical areas, political regimes and cultural concerns that scholars have rarely addressed. From Argentina, Brazil and Mexico City to France, Italy, the Netherlands, the Soviet Ukraine, the United States and Canada, these case studies offer fresh theoretical and historical perspectives within a transnational and comparative framework. As a whole, the volume demonstrates how maternalist ideologies have been employed by state actors, reformers and poor clients, with myriad political and social ramifications. This volume reassesses maternalism by providing reflections on prior usages of the concept, and by expandingits meaning to encompass geographical areas, political regimes and cultural concerns that scholars have rarely addressed. From Argentina and Mexico City to the Soviet Ukraine, the United States and Canada, these case studies offer theoretical and historical perspectives within a transnational and comparative framework. 1. A new generation of scholars on maternalism / Rebecca Jo Plant and Marian van der Klein, 2. Maternalism and beyond / Sonya Michel, 3. The state, the women's movement and maternity insurance, 1900-1930 : a Dutch maternalism? / Marian van der Klein, 4. Mobilizing mothers in the Nation's service: Civic culture in France's familial welfare state, 1890-1914, 5. Speaking on behalf of others: Dutch social workers and the problem of maternalist condescension / Berteke Waaldijk, 6. 'Respectable citizens of Canada': Gender, maternalism and the welfare state in the Great Depression / Lara Campbell, 7. The Gold Star Mothers Pilgrimages: protect children: maternalism and the 1935 Pan-American Child Congress / Nicole Sanders, 9. Maternal and child welfare, state policy and women's philanthropic activities in Brazil, 1930-45 / Maria Lúcia Mott, 10. Maternalism in a paternalist state: the national Organization for the protection of motherhood and infancy in fascist Italy, 11. Maternalism, Soviet-style: the working mothers with many children in post-war Western Ukraine / Yoshie Mitsuyoshui, 12. The origins and transformations of the infant-maternity health and nutritional programmes in Argentina / Alma Idiart, 13. Maternalism today / Rebecca Jo Plant This volume reassesses maternalism by providing reflections on prior usages of the concept, and by expanding its meaning to encompass geographical areas, political regimes and cultural concerns that scholars have rarely addressed. It contains: 1. A new generation of scholars on maternalism / Rebecca Jo Plant and Marian van der Klein, 2. Maternalism and beyond / Sonya Michel, 3. The state, the women's movement and maternity insurance, 1900-1930 : a Dutch maternalism? / Marian van der Klein, 4. Mobilizing mothers in the Nation's service: Civic culture in France's familial welfare state, 1890-1914, 5. Speaking on behalf of others: Dutch social workers and the problem of maternalist condescension / Berteke Waaldijk, 6. 'Respectable citizens of Canada': Gender, maternalism and the welfare state in the Great Depression / Lara Campbell, 7. The Gold Star Mothers Pilgrimages: protect children: maternalism and the 1935 Pan-American Child Congress / Nicole Sanders, 9. Maternal and child welfare, state policy and women's philanthropic activities in Brazil, 1930-45 / Maria Lúcia Mott, 10. Maternalism in a paternalist state: the national Organization for the protection of motherhood and infancy in fascist Italy, 11. Maternalism, Soviet-style: the working mothers with many children in post-war Western Ukraine / Yoshie Mitsuyoshui, 12. The origins and transformations of the infant-maternity health and nutritional programmes in Argentina / Alma Idiart, 13. Maternalism today / Rebecca Jo Plant Introduction / Rebecca Jo Plant and Marian van der Klein Beyond maternalism / Sonya Michel The state, the women's movement and maternity insurance, 1900-1930 : a Dutch maternalism? / Marian van der Klein Mobilising mothers in the nation's service : civic culture in France's familial welfare state, 1890-1914 / Lori R. Weintrob Speaking on behalf of others : Dutch social workers and the problem of maternalist condescension / Berteke Waaldijk 'Respectable citizens of Canada' : gender and the welfare state in the Great Depression / Lara Campbell The gold star mothers pilgrimages : patriotic maternalists and their critics in the interwar U.S. / Rebecca Jo Plant Protecting mothers in order to protect children : maternalism and the 1935 Pan-American Child Congress / Nichole Sanders Maternal and child welfare, state policy and women's philanthropic activities in Brazil, 1930-45 / Maria Lucia Mott Maternalism in a paternalist state : the national organization for the protection of motherhood and infancy in fascist Italy / Elisabetta Vezzosi Maternalism, Soviet-style : the working 'mothers with many children' in postwar Western Ukraine / Yoshie Mitsuyoshi Infant-maternity health and nutritional programmes in Argentina : maternalism without maternalists? / Alma Idiart Afterword : maternalism today / Rebecca Jo Plant.