Overview

"How do scholars research and interpret marginalized populations, especially those that are seldom recognized as marginalized or whose sources are believed to be rare? Combining intersectional feminism and public history methodologies, 'A Girl Can Do: Recognizing and Representing Girlhood' reflects on how girlhood is found, researched, and interpreted in museums, archives, and historic sites. Defining ""girl"" as ""self-identifying females under the age of 21,"" 'A Girl Can Do' lays the groundwork for understanding girlhood, its constructs, and its marginalization while providing faculty, students, and working professionals with ten case studies on researching and working with girlhood. Contributors include archaeologists, archivists, curators, educators, and historians who demonstrate how adding a girl studies lens fosters greater inclusivity and diversity in our work. Whether studying spatial techniques of marginalization in colonial Peru, the daybooks as records of girlhood in late-nineteenth century Sweden, or collaborating with self-identifying fangirls to produce a pop-up exhibition, the contributors demonstrate the variety of sources and methods that can be used to interpret this oft-overlooked population. Throughout, 'A Girl Can Do' petitions for collaborative and creative thinking in how we can reframe and reinterpret our sources - both traditional and overlooked - to shed new light on how girls have contributed to, and provide frames of reference for, human history and culture."

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9781648894053

Table of Contents

Reviews

'A Girl Can Do' features a myriad of fascinating chapters that complicate and expand our understandings of girlhood. While scholars often marginalize the history of girlhood, this book demonstrates that the study of girlhood cannot be ignored and illustrates how taking girls' perspectives and experiences into consideration enriches our views of historical events, people, and places. Studying girlhood is not without its challenges, but the authors demonstrate how employing innovative methodologies-including Indigenous folklore and descendant knowledge and biographical approaches-and sources-including scrapbooks and spatial analysis of archaeological sites-can help uncover girls' lives and experiences. One of the unique aspects and great strengths of the book is that it brings together two areas of history often discussed separately: studying and researching girlhood and interpreting and representing girlhood for the public. The chapters on incorporating girlhood narratives in museums, historic sites, exhibits, and public history programs raise important questions about making institutions more inclusive and negotiating sexism and racism in public spaces. Another key strength of the collection is its interdisciplinarity and how it brings together scholars and historians working on girlhood in a variety of settings. The chapters are written in a clear and accessible way that will appeal to a wide audience. 'A Girl Can Do' will interest readers, students, and scholars engaged in various fields, from public history and museum studies to gender and childhood studies. Prof. Dr. Elizabeth Dillenburg Department of History The Ohio State University at Newark

'A Girl Can Do' features a myriad of fascinating chapters that complicate and expand our understandings of girlhood. While scholars often marginalize the history of girlhood, this book demonstrates that the study of girlhood cannot be ignored and illustrates how taking girls' perspectives and experiences into consideration enriches our views of historical events, people, and places. Studying girlhood is not without its challenges, but the authors demonstrate how employing innovative methodologies-including Indigenous folklore and descendant knowledge and biographical approaches-and sources-including scrapbooks and spatial analysis of archaeological sites-can help uncover girls' lives and experiences. One of the unique aspects and great strengths of the book is that it brings together two areas of history often discussed separately: studying and researching girlhood and interpreting and representing girlhood for the public. The chapters on incorporating girlhood narratives in museums, historic sites, exhibits, and public history programs raise important questions about making institutions more inclusive and negotiating sexism and racism in public spaces. Another key strength of the collection is its interdisciplinarity and how it brings together scholars and historians working on girlhood in a variety of settings. The chapters are written in a clear and accessible way that will appeal to a wide audience. 'A Girl Can Do' will interest readers, students, and scholars engaged in various fields, from public history and museum studies to gender and childhood studies. Prof. Dr. Elizabeth Dillenburg Department of History The Ohio State University at Newark

Author Information

Tiffany R. Isselhardt holds a Master of Public History from Appalachian State University and is the co-author of 'Exploring American Girlhood in 50 Historic Treasures' (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021). She currently serves as Development and Exhibitions Manager at the Kentucky Museum at Western Kentucky University as well as Program Developer for Girl Museum. Her research focuses on uncovering the hidden history of girls to advocate for gender equality, and how museums can better interpret and provide programming inclusive of girls' unique history and culture. She has presented on girlhood at several conferences, including the International Girl Studies Association and the National Council on Public History, and enjoys working at the intersections of history, material culture, and girl studies.

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