Gender Equal Forerunners? Images and Imaginings of the Nordic Countries in the International Women’s Suffrage Movement 1904-1914 Albertine Jensen Vangen Institute of Archaeology, Conservation and History University of Oslo Spring 2020 i ii Gender Equal Forerunners? Images and Imaginings of the Nordics in the International Woman Suffrage Alliance 1904-1914 iii ã 2020 Albertine Jensen Vangen Gender Equal Forerunners? Images and Imaginings of the Nordics in the International Woman Suffrage Alliance 1904-1914 Albertine Jensen Vangen www.duo.uio.no Print: Reprosentralen, The University of Oslo iv Summary This thesis analyses the images and imaginings made of the Nordics within the forum of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance (IWSA) between 1904 and 1914. The project aims to uncover not only which images and imaginings were made, but also the lasting impact of these images on the Nordic nations in relation to the status of women. As the Nordic nations are perpetuated as a heaven for women, this thesis aims to explore when and how these images were first constructed in order to tell the origin story of the ‘policy of engagement’ which the Nordic nations – especially Norway – exercise today. v vi Preface I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude towards my supervisor Eirinn Larsen without whom a project such as this would - for me - have been an unobtainable feat. I would like to thank you for your patience, guidance and mentorship. The past year has taught me more about the of craft of writing history, than the four years preceding it; and I am forever grateful for the skills I have acquired, however unrefined they might be. What is more, I would like to put in writing that this project has not been completed by myself only. Had it not been for the continued support and aid by my partner and co-parent Mimmi Paulsen, the completion of this project had not been feasible. Thank you for all the hours you have spent outside in the cold with our Alva, allowing me to work in peace though this special time we are currently a part of. Without you I would be much less. Albertine Jensen Vangen, May 25th, 2020 vii Organizations International Organizations ICW – International Council of Women, 1888- IWSA – International Woman Suffrage Alliance, 1904- National Organizations The United States NAWSA – National American Woman Suffrage Association, 1890-1920 Great Britain NUWSS – National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, 1897-1928 WSPU – Women’s Social and Political Union, 1903-1917 Norway NAWR - Norwegian Association for Women’s Rights (Norsk Kvinnesaksforening), 1884- NWSA – National Women’s Suffrage Association (Landskvinnestemmerettsforeningen), 1898-1913 Sweden Fredrika-Bremer-Association (Fredrika Bremer-förbundet), 1884- Denmark Danish Women’s Society (Dansk Kvindesamfund), 1871- Iceland Icelandic Women’s Association, founded in 1894 – became Icelandic Women’s Rights Association (Kvenréttindafélag Íslands), 1907- Finland Finnish Women’s Association (Suomen Naisyhdistys), 1884- viii IndeX SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................................... V PREFACE ........................................................................................................................................................... VII ORGANIZATIONS .......................................................................................................................................... VIII INDEX ................................................................................................................................................................... IX CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1 THESIS .................................................................................................................................................................. 3 PREVIOUS RESEARCH ........................................................................................................................................... 4 THEORY ................................................................................................................................................................ 8 SOURCES AND METHOD ..................................................................................................................................... 10 STRUCTURE ........................................................................................................................................................ 12 CHAPTER 2: BUILDING AN INTERNATIONAL SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT ......................................... 13 FOUNDING MOTHERS: AN AMERICAN MOVEMENT .............................................................................................. 14 A VOICE IN INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY: THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN .......................................... 16 CONCENTRATING SUFFRAGE EFFORTS THROUGH THE IWSA ............................................................................. 19 SMALL PLAYERS IN A HIGH-STAKE GAME: DISADVANTAGEOUS IMAGES OF NORWAY “SPREADING LIKE FIRE IN DRY GRASS” ....................................................................................................................................................... 22 AN AMERICAN DOMINATED ORGANIZATION ..................................................................................................... 25 INTERNATIONAL SISTERHOOD DISPLAYED BY ENFORCING NATIONAL DIFFERENCES .......................................... 28 THE IMAGE OF US AS THE OBVIOUS FORERUNNER ............................................................................................. 31 GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT THERE: CONGRESSES, PERIODICALS AND DIPLOMATIC TRAVEL ............................. 34 CIVILITY, PROGRESSIVITY AND STATUS: FEMALE SUFFRAGE AS NATION BUILDING ........................................... 37 CONCLUDING REMARKS ..................................................................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER 3: MAKING THE NORDICS AN EXAMPLE TO THE WORLD ............................................ 42 THE SURPRISE OF THE FINNISH VICTORY ............................................................................................................ 43 AN UNWORTHY EXAMPLE? ................................................................................................................................. 46 NORWEGIAN WOMEN WIN MORE THAN A VOTE .................................................................................................. 49 WHO IS MOST EAGER TO PLAY? .......................................................................................................................... 53 A TURNING-POINT IN THE HISTORY OF SUFFRAGE? ............................................................................................ 55 CONCLUDING REMARKS ..................................................................................................................................... 57 CHAPTER 4: SHOWCASING SUFFRAGE AND STATE ............................................................................. 58 WELCOME TO SCANDINAVIA, MRS. CHAPMAN CATT ........................................................................................ 59 A ROYAL SEAL OF APPROVAL ............................................................................................................................. 63 AN IMAGINED FUTURE AND AN IMAGINED FRONT RUNNER ................................................................................ 64 “UNITED FRONT” POLICY AT DISPLAY IN BUDAPEST .......................................................................................... 67 NEW HORIZONS AND A LASTING IMAGE .............................................................................................................. 69 LONG LINES: A 100-YEAR-OLD “POLICY OF ENGAGEMENT” AND “STATE FEMINISM” ......................................... 71 CONCLUDING REMARKS ..................................................................................................................................... 73 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................................ 75 SOURCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................................... 77 ix x Chapter 1: Introduction Women’s equality was in 2011 credited by former Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg for being one of the pole bearers for the Norwegian Model.1 In 2008, Norwegian foreign secretary Jonas Gahr Støre stated that due to increased globalization, it was important that to have a strong narrative attached to Norway, in order to enhance its international standing.2 Women’s equality, amongst other issues, became a central part of this narrative. It functions not only as a core value for the Norwegian state, but also as a brand for exportation.3 In the 7th white paper (2015- 2016) delivered by the Norwegian government to parliament, titled Equality in Practice – Equal Opportunity for Women and Men, the second subhead reads “Equality Is a Part of Norway’s Identity” .4 In 2019, on the Swedish government’s own website, the sentence “Equality between women and men makes up a fundamental aim for Swedish foreign policy” is clearly read underneath the title “A Feminist Foreign
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