Please note this event has been extended from one to two days

Plenary Speakers
Amy Froide, University of Maryland-Baltimore County "The Spinster and the Old Maid: Representations of Never-Married Women in Early Modern England"
Katherine Holden, University of the West of England "The shadow of marriage: defining the single in twentieth century Britain"

The links between gender and marital status have been insufficiently explored or theorised within women’s history. This conference will bring new perspectives to a neglected area of research by examining the lives of single women during the last millennium in any period and any country. Speakers may focus on different categories of female singleness including spinsters, lone mothers, widows and divorcees and discuss single women’s involvement in areas such as health and welfare, politics, work, religion, culture, family, friendships, partnerships and networks.

Papers that offer new conceptual or theoretical approaches to singleness or compare the experience of single women and single men are also welcome. All papers must have some historical content.