Entitled to Power

Farm Women and Technology, 1913-1963

By Katherine Jellison | Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press

About the book

The advent of modern agribusiness irrevocably changed the patterns of life and labor on the American family farm. In Entitled to Power, Katherine Jellison examines midwestern farm women’s unexpected response to new labor-saving devices.

Federal farm policy at mid-century treated farm women as consumers, not producers. New technologies, as promoted by agricultural extension agents and by home appliance manufacturers, were expected to create separate spheres of work in the field and in the house. These innovations, however, enabled women to work as operators of farm machinery or independently in the rural community. Jellison finds that many women preferred their productive roles on and off the farm to the domestic ideal emphasized by contemporary prescriptive literature. A variety of visual images of farm women from advertisements and agricultural publications serve to contrast the publicized view of these women with the roles that they chose for themselves. The letters, interviews, and memoirs assembled by Jellison reclaim the many contributions women made to modernizing farm life.

Originally published in 1993.

A UNC Press Enduring Edition — UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

Editions of Entitled to Power

Paperback
ISBN 9780807844151
AltFormat
ISBN 9780807820889
EBook
ISBN 9798890865120
EBook
ISBN 9780807837979
EBook
ISBN 9780807862278

Read an Excerpt

The advent of modern agribusiness irrevocably changed the patterns of life and labor on the American family farm. In Entitled to Power, Katherine Jellison examines midwestern farm women’s unexpected response to new labor-saving devices.

Federal farm policy at mid-century treated farm women as consumers, not producers. New technologies, as promoted by agricultural extension agents and by home appliance manufacturers, were expected to create separate spheres of work in the field and in the house. These innovations, however, enabled women to work as operators of farm machinery or independently in the rural community. Jellison finds that many women preferred their productive roles on and off the farm to the domestic ideal emphasized by contemporary prescriptive literature. A variety of visual images of farm women from advertisements and agricultural publications serve to contrast the publicized view of these women with the roles that they chose for themselves. The letters, interviews, and memoirs assembled by Jellison reclaim the many contributions women made to modernizing farm life.

Originally published in 1993.

A UNC Press Enduring Edition — UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Entitled to Power about?

The advent of modern agribusiness irrevocably changed the patterns of life and labor on the American family farm. In Entitled to Power, Katherine Jellison examines midwestern farm women’s unexpected response to new labor-saving devices.

Federal farm policy at mid-century treated farm women as consumers, not producers. New technologies, as promoted by agricultural extension agents and by home appliance manufacturers, were expected to create separate spheres of work in the field and in the house. These innovations, however, enabled women to work as operators of farm machinery or independently in the rural community. Jellison finds that many women preferred their productive roles on and off the farm to the domestic ideal emphasized by contemporary prescriptive literature. A variety of visual images of farm women from advertisements and agricultural publications serve to contrast the publicized view of these women with the roles that they chose for themselves. The letters, interviews, and memoirs assembled by Jellison reclaim the many contributions women made to modernizing farm life.

Originally published in 1993.

A UNC Press Enduring Edition — UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Entitled to Power?

Society and Social Sciences > Society and culture: general > Social groups, communities and identities > Gender studies, gender groups > Gender studies: women and girls

Where can I read a sample of Entitled to Power?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780807844151

How long is Entitled to Power and how many pages does it have?

Entitled to Power has 240 page(s)

Is Entitled to Power part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?

Yes it is a part of series Gender and American Culture

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Entitled to Power?

Katherine Jellison

Who is the Publisher of the book Entitled to Power?

The University of North Carolina Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Entitled to Power is available as paperback(ISBN 9780807844151) and altformat(ISBN 9780807820889) and ebook(ISBN 9798890865120) and ebook(ISBN 9780807837979) and ebook(ISBN 9780807862278)

Where can I buy Entitled to Power online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy Entitled to Power from below

Where can I buy Entitled to Power?