Alice Kessler-Harris Knihy

A classic since its original publication, Women Have Always Worked brought much-needed insight into the ways work has shaped female lives and sensibilities. Beginning in the colonial era, Alice Kessler-Harris looks at the public and private work spheres of diverse groups of women--housewives and trade unionists, immigrants and African Americans, professionals and menial laborers, and women from across the class spectrum. She delves into issues ranging from the gendered nature of the success ethic to the social activism and the meaning of citizenship for female wage workers. This second edition adds artwork and features significant updates. A new chapter by Kessler-Harris follows women into the early twenty-first century as they confront barriers of race, sex, and class to earn positions in the new information society.

A major new work by a leading women's historian and a study of how a "gendered imagination" has shaped social policy in America. Illustrations.

The book explores the evolution of women's work into wage labor in the United States, highlighting the social, economic, and ideological influences that have defined women's roles. Through personal narratives of American women, it delves into the impact of class, ethnicity, and race on perceptions of women's wage work and family dynamics. The 20th Anniversary Edition includes updates and a new Afterword by the author, enriching the original analysis with contemporary insights.

The book explores the complex ways in which gendered social meanings are created, shared, and contested. It delves into various topics that reveal the dynamics of gender in society, examining how these meanings influence individual identities and social interactions. Through a critical lens, it addresses the challenges posed to traditional gender norms and the ongoing evolution of gender roles.