The Woman Publisher in the Punlic Discourse of the Second Half of the 19th Century: Mechanisms of Categorisation and Limits of Rpofessionalisation (part 1)
Keywords:
women publishers, public discourse, Russian Empire, 19th century, categorization, professional status, periodical pressAbstract
This study examines the phenomenon of women publishers in the Russian Empire during the second half of the 19th century, analyzing the mechanisms that established the discursive boundaries of their professional activity. Drawing on statistical data, periodicals, and archival records, the research traces a process of categorization which systematically associated publishing with literary work. The conceptual framework integrates R. Brubaker's theory of categorization and P. Bourdieu's concept of symbolic violence.
Discursive analysis reveals how narratives of legitimacy and criticism defined the social boundaries of the female publisher's role. Public recognition was granted primarily to activities within traditional 'feminine' spheres. The investigation considers both contemporary public perceptions of these women and specific individual cases.