Women and University. The women in the history of Padua University (19th and 20th century)

Andrea Martini

Until now, historiography has underestimated the presence and the role played by women in the history of Italian universities. In particular, no comprehensive research has been conducted about the case-study of Padua. My project aims at filling this gap by conducting a survey of the female presence in the university (with the support of the open-access database Nodegoat) and by co-editing a book, with my tutor Carlotta Sorba, which offers the first women history the University of Padua. By combining a quantitative and qualitative approach, the research project will reconstruct the identity of female scholars of Padua university and their role in the European circulation of knowledge. Moreover, the research wants to scrutinize the biography of some female students, and, finally, observe how the so-called process of massification of the university education affected the female presence in Padua.