A feminist star atlas: mapping legal history through feminist constellations

Thompson, Sharon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2569-856X and Rackley, Erika 2026. A feminist star atlas: mapping legal history through feminist constellations. Wright, Danaya, Auchmuty, Rosemary and Derry, Caroline, eds. Research Handbook on Gender, History and Law, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar,

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Abstract

Astronomers use constellations—groups of named patterns or sets of stars— to map the galaxies around us. They understand the sky by drawing connections and patterns between stars, and this has varied according to time, culture and place. In this chapter, we apply the method of mapping constellations to feminist legal history. We argue that a ‘feminist constellations’ approach can be used to understand the relationships between and within feminist activist groups and law reform in new ways. It is a methodology that enables feminist individuals, locations and groups to be connected and resituated across time and place. The purpose of this chapter is two-fold. First, we explain the purpose and transformative potential of a feminist constellations approach. We then explain how others can uncover gender in legal history by mapping their own constellations, in ways that can resist temporalities and rehabilitate feminist heroines.

Item Type:	Book Section
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Cardiff Law & Politics Schools > Law
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > D History (General) K Law > K Law (General) K Law > KD England and Wales
Publisher:	Edward Elgar
Last Modified:	02 Mar 2026 10:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185340

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item