Great history in the eyes of an ordinary man
Irena Selišnik and Ana Cergol, Feminization of the profession of clerks after World War I and the fate of the first female clerks
About the Conference:
Researchers dr. Irena Selišnik and dr. Ana Cergol Paradiž presented their work at a conference titled “39. zborovanje Zveza zgodovinskih društev Slovenije: Mejniki in zgodovina. Velika zgodovina skozi oči majhnega človeka.” Conference was held from 27 to 28 September 2018. Principal investigator, prof. dr. Marta Verginella opened the panel.
Organized by the Historical Association of Slovenia, the conference focused on the individual and his evaluation of historical events. Special attention was paid to the less-known aspects of an individual’s attitudes towards society and his environment. The conference welcomed in particular original methodologically prominent and comparatively set studies.
Paper’s abstract:
The paper presented the dynamics of the employment of women among the clerks in the period of 1900-1940. Stemming from quantitative indicators, which served to demonstrate general trends of employment and chosen demographic characteristics (age, origin, social mobility, marital status), the paper elucidated also the qualitative aspects, namely concrete fates of several female clerks. Based on archival material and written memoirs, the paper showed the gradual process of the feminization of the profession of clerks, which also took into consideration political events (changes of political regimes, the establishment of national states, wars). Special attention was paid on how the entrance into the labor market of the female clerks reflected in their lives.