Women’s History Month – an open access collection
Every March, Women’s History Month is celebrated around the world to honour the efforts of women throughout history and their contributions to education, empowerment, equality and inclusion.
The theme for Women’s History Month 2025 is ‘Moving forward together! Women educating and inspiring generations’, which focuses on the strength and collaboration of women as leaders and mentors.
With the emphasis on education this year, we’ve delved into our Kortext Open Resources Collection of 20,000+ free-to-access titles and curated a collection of eBooks relating to women’s history.
Join us in learning about some of the women who have helped transform society and contributed to the advancements of the present day.
1. On Norms and Agency: Conversations about Gender Equality with Women and Men in 20 Countries, by Ana María Muñoz Boudet et al.
A study across 20 countries, 97 communities and 4,000 participants, this gives rare insights into gender attitudes on a global scale. Motivated by transformative change, the authors identify factors that perpetuate inequality and suggest ways of empowering female agency and unlocking the potential of half the world’s population.
2. Gendering Women: Identity and Mental Wellbeing through the Lifecourse, by Suzanne Clisby and Julia Holdsworth
Clisby and Holdsworth provide crucial insight into the femininity construct and its role in both enabling and eroding self-esteem over the lifetime. With femininity explored as a silent driver of inequality, this title provides relatable perspectives into the lived realities of everyday women.
3. Typical Girls: The Rhetoric of Womanhood in Comic Strips, by Susan E. Kirtley
In 1975, an assortment of female-created comics came to national attention with their unprecedented representation of female experience. In a male-dominated industry, women were provided a space to relate to one another and laugh at themselves during a time when many felt torn between being a ‘traditional’ or a ‘liberated’ woman.
4. Women’s Activism and ‘Second Wave’ Feminism: Transnational Histories, edited by Barbara Maloney and Jennifer Nelson
By looking at different feminist movements around the world, Maloney and Nelson address transnational linkages between feminist organisations and the flow of ideologies across nations. This ‘wave’ of feminism is analysed and key themes identified with a discussion of what the rejection of ‘hegemonic’ feminism means for the future of the movement.
5. Sisters in Science: Conversations with Black Women Scientists on Race, Gender, and their Passion for Science, by Diann Jordan
Eighteen successful black women share their experiences of overcoming hurdles to make an impact in the science, technology and mathematics (STEM) sector. With first-person interview-style prose, the narrative powerfully explores the factors that drove these women to become pioneers in their fields.
To access our new collection, please contact your Kortext Account Manager for more information.
You don’t have to be an existing Kortext customer to benefit from our Open Resources Collection. To find out more, talk to us today.
