Hidden costs, hidden labours : women in Nova Scotia during two world wars

Abstract

War provides a striking example of gender differentiation, yet, because of the unusual demands in times of war, breakdowns in traditional divisions of labour occur. Historians debate how and whether war has been a springboard for women's greater emancipation. However, less critical attention has been paid to women's traditional roles during wartime. This thesis will explore the territory of women's wartime volunteer participation in Nova Scotia in a qualitative and quantitative way and question the assumption that all women shared the same motivations for doing this work. In order to understand the immensity and diversity of the labour carried out, the thesis will look at women's organizational strength and the documentary evidence of their work. Because women's traditional work has been interpreted as an expression of patriotism, the thesis will also examine the gendered aspects of wartime patriotism and propaganda and look at the alternative voices to the patriotic rhetoric.