title: The trial of the new woman: citizens-in-training in the new Soviet Republic.
abstract: This essay examines the texts of Soviet plays from the 1920s known as agitation trials that deal with issues of women's emancipation and participation in the public sphere. It argues that, far from showing women to be men's equals (the ostensible purpose of the plays), the trials give a shocking portrayal of their heroines' faults, from passivity and meddling to gossip and lack of discipline. Given these weaknesses, the women delegates are supposed to recognise their need for tutelage from the new authorities. Their citizenship is thus held, at best, on contingent approval from those authorities.
authors.affiliation: MIT.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D002961:Civil Rights / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D003148:Communism / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history; D003469:Culture; D004493:Education / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004651:Employment / Q000191:economics / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D019513:Feminism / Q000266:history; D049673:History, 20th Century; D009111:Local Government; D026706:Paternalism; D011057:Politics; D012649:Self Concept; D012919:Social Behavior; D012922:Social Change / Q000266:history; D012933:Social Identification; D012945:Social Values / Q000208:ethnology; D014586:USSR / Q000208:ethnology; D014930:Women / Q000193:education / Q000266:history / Q000523:psychology; D014933:Women's Rights / Q000191:economics / Q000193:education / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D014931:Women, Working / Q000193:education / Q000266:history / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology