La Politique malgré elles. Mobilisations féminines catholiques en France et en Italie (1900-1914)

Abstract

À travers l’étude comparée de deux associations catholiques, la Ligue patriotique des Françaises (LPDF) et l’Union des femmes catholiques d’Italie (Unione fra le donne cattoliche d’Italia : UDCI), cet article met au jour les effets du genre et le rôle de l’Église dans l’apprentissage du jeu démocratique. Aux côtés des hommes catholiques en politique, les ligueuses françaises mettent en place un répertoire féminin conservateur de l’action collective et investissent la compétition électorale. En revanche, le contexte politique et religieux italien ne laisse pas d’espace pour une telle intervention des catholiques italiennes aux côtés de l’Union électorale masculine. Cet article éclaire ainsi les différentes voies de la politique avant le suffrage. *** Through a comparative study of two Catholic associations, the Ligue patriotique des Françaises (French Women’s Patriotic League, LPDF) and the Unione fra le donne cattoliche d’Italia (Union of CatholicWomenof Italy, UDCI), this article sheds some light on the role of gender and the Church in the politicization process. Working alongside Roman Catholic politicians, the women in the LPDF established a conservative feminine repertoire of collective action and participated, albeit indirectly, in electoral politics. The Italian political and religious context, in contrast, did not allow any such scope for Catholic women to get involved in politics. This article aims to gain some new insight into the various ways conservative women did politics before their eventual enfranchisement.

Through a comparative study of two Catholic associations, the Ligue patriotique des Frantaises (French Women's Patriotic League, LPDF) and the Unione fra le donne cattoliche d'Italia (Union of Catholic Women of Italy, UDCI), this article sheds some light on the role of gender and the Church in the politicization process. Working alongside Roman Catholic politicians, the women in the LPDF established a conservative feminine repertoire of collective action and participated, albeit indirectly, in electoral politics. The Italian political and religious context, in contrast, did not allow any such scope for Catholic women to get involved in politics. This article aims to gain some new insight into the various ways conservative women did politics before their eventual enfranchisement.