Using Prosopography to Raise the Voices of Those Erased in Social Work History. Issue 1 (February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Coles, D. Crystal; Netting, F. Ellen; O'Connor, Mary Katherine
• Is Part Of: Affilia. Volume 33:Issue 1(2018)
• Page Start: 85
• Page End: 97
• Publication Date: 2018-02
• Subjects: historical methods and life history -- social work history -- social work/social welfare history and philosophy; Social work with women -- Periodicals; Women social workers -- Periodicals; 362.8305
• DOI: 10.1177/0886109917721141
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0886-1099

Abstract

In this article, we introduce prosopography, a valuable historical research method that can be used by feminist social work scholars. While feminists in various fields use this methodology to investigate background characteristics of women in history through collective studies of how they have established relationships and networks to influence change, our review of the literature suggests that it has been little used in social work. We provide a brief overview of prosopography, strengths and limitations, and an illustration of the method as enacted focusing on the roles of early feminists within the development of nonprofit human service organizations. It is our intent to demonstrate the possibilities of prosopography to identify and understand groups of women who have been erased in social work history.