Women, Wars, and Nations: How Conflict Can Change the Norms of Nationalism

This thesis examines the impact of conflict on female participation in nationalism. Given that nationalism is an inherently gendered concept, it is assumed that conflict will provide both motivation and opportunity for women to challenge the norms of their society and be active participants in the nationalist conversation. This hypothesis is examined through the lens of passive, active, and rejective nationalism. Each represents a different level of engagement and challenge to the social norms in question. While each context is different, the evidence shows that while conflict does provide motivation to engage in conflict, the necessary opportunities for women to actively pursue that involvement are curtailed by the adherence to traditional gender expectations. [From the Author]