The blog site of the 'Darwin and Gender' stream of the Darwin Correspondence Project.
One question which arises a lot when sifting through Darwin’s letters is are we prying? Did Darwin and his correspondents consider their letters to be public objects or private exchanges intended only for the eyes of the sender and recipient in … Continue reading
International Women’s Day celebrates the achievements of women, particularly those who have struggled to participate in society on an equal footing with men. Darwin’s correspondence is a rich source of evidence of extraordinary women who did just that; from international travellers and diamond prospectors to … Continue reading
In an article and book review published in The Guardian in 2003, Richard Dawkins excitedly reported that “an obscure letter in a library” suggested that Charles Darwin was the forefather not only of the theory of evolution but also of modern genetics. The … Continue reading
What’s the difference between a woman and a peahen? Seems a silly (if not insulting) question. But in Descent of Man Darwin proposed a theory which, uncharacteristically, set women decisively apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. According to … Continue reading
Darwin’s female correspondents give us a glimpse of just how many Victorian women were involved in scientific projects. They may have seen themselves as enthusiastic amateurs but the letters show that they carried out valuable observations and experiments in their own … Continue reading
Our research into Mary Treat has been given a boost in the form of associate professor of nineteenth-century science and Mary Treat expert Tina Gianquitto of the Colorado School of Mines who has generously offered us her help. In collaboration with both our Cambridge and … Continue reading
The Darwin and Gender Twitter feed is now up and running! It offers the exciting chance to share in comments and observations made by Darwin’s many and varied women correspondents — from ground-breaking women scientists to prominent members of the suffragist movement … Continue reading