Total Liberation': Feminism, Socialism and Red Rag (1972-1980)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Arts Languages and Cultures
Abstract
The project restores to view, analyses and assesses the contemporary resonance of Red Rag: a Magazine of
Liberation (1972-1980). The doctoral thesis produced will form the most substantial account of this significant
but largely forgotten feminist periodical to date, intervening into debates around contemporary feminist
theory, periodical studies, women's history, labour history and cultural studies. Innovative training
opportunities will equip the student with transferable skills-in digitization, database management, cataloguing,
curating, grant writing, public engagement-tailored to support a future career in the museum, heritage or
cultural sectors, or academia. The project will enhance the collections of the collaborating partner, the People's
History Museum-an Arts Council Accredited National Portfolio Organisation with a Designated Collection that
attracts 125,000 visitors per year (2018-2019)-by facilitating the completion of the cataloguing of Hilary
Wainwright papers (ACC1478: 14 large boxes, 9 meters). The collaboration with supervisors and the student will
deepen the PHM's own knowledge of the significance of its specialist collections. The project will build capacity
for the future, attracting new, diverse users to the the PHM's in-house Labour History Archive and Study Centre
(currently 1000 visitors per annum), via a filmed, free dayschool for activists, students, schoolteachers,
academics, and the general public. It will support and enhance the PHM's track record in public education
around the struggle against gendered and sexual oppression recently showcased at the award-winning, Heritage
Lottery Funded exhibition, Never Going Underground: The Fight for LGBT+ Rights exhibition (51,943 visitors
between 25 February and 3 September 2017). It will potentially benefit future students at the NWDTP HE
institutions by forming a test case for PHM's Digital Asset Management System (DAMS), which aspires to open
collections to new undergraduate users, with a pioneering, comprehensive online resource about 1970s
feminism. It will consolidate and develop ongoing, mutually beneficial collaborations between the supervisors
and PHM-which has included a successful AHRC Leadership Fellow (2016-17)-prefiguring a future application
to secure full CDP status for the PHM in the next round.
Liberation (1972-1980). The doctoral thesis produced will form the most substantial account of this significant
but largely forgotten feminist periodical to date, intervening into debates around contemporary feminist
theory, periodical studies, women's history, labour history and cultural studies. Innovative training
opportunities will equip the student with transferable skills-in digitization, database management, cataloguing,
curating, grant writing, public engagement-tailored to support a future career in the museum, heritage or
cultural sectors, or academia. The project will enhance the collections of the collaborating partner, the People's
History Museum-an Arts Council Accredited National Portfolio Organisation with a Designated Collection that
attracts 125,000 visitors per year (2018-2019)-by facilitating the completion of the cataloguing of Hilary
Wainwright papers (ACC1478: 14 large boxes, 9 meters). The collaboration with supervisors and the student will
deepen the PHM's own knowledge of the significance of its specialist collections. The project will build capacity
for the future, attracting new, diverse users to the the PHM's in-house Labour History Archive and Study Centre
(currently 1000 visitors per annum), via a filmed, free dayschool for activists, students, schoolteachers,
academics, and the general public. It will support and enhance the PHM's track record in public education
around the struggle against gendered and sexual oppression recently showcased at the award-winning, Heritage
Lottery Funded exhibition, Never Going Underground: The Fight for LGBT+ Rights exhibition (51,943 visitors
between 25 February and 3 September 2017). It will potentially benefit future students at the NWDTP HE
institutions by forming a test case for PHM's Digital Asset Management System (DAMS), which aspires to open
collections to new undergraduate users, with a pioneering, comprehensive online resource about 1970s
feminism. It will consolidate and develop ongoing, mutually beneficial collaborations between the supervisors
and PHM-which has included a successful AHRC Leadership Fellow (2016-17)-prefiguring a future application
to secure full CDP status for the PHM in the next round.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Daniela Caselli (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Amy Todd (Student) |