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Morality and biology in the Spanish Civil War: Psychiatrists, revolution and women prisoners in Málaga

Richards, Michael

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Michael Richards Michael.Richards@uwe.ac.uk
Associate Professor in Contemporary European History



Abstract

The psychiatric study of women prisoners in the city of Málaga during the Spanish Civil War provides a starting point for a two-part analysis of the gendered tension between biology and morality. First, the relationship of organic psychiatry and bio-typologies to, in turn, liberalism and neo-Thomist Catholicism is discussed. The supposedly 'biological' roots of conditions such as hysteria and their link to women's revolutionary behaviour are examined. Second, prison records are used to examine the material conditions of women in the city and the gendered construction of their moral culpability during the revolution. Both medical science and Catholic doctrine could be exploited in declaring the indissolubility of gendered morality. © 2001 Cambridge University Press.

Citation

Richards, M. (2001). Morality and biology in the Spanish Civil War: Psychiatrists, revolution and women prisoners in Málaga. Contemporary European History, 10(3), 395-421. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960777301003046

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Dec 1, 2001
Deposit Date Jan 22, 2010
Publicly Available Date Nov 15, 2016
Journal Contemporary European History
Print ISSN 0960-7773
Electronic ISSN 1469-2171
Publisher Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 10
Issue 3
Pages 395-421
DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960777301003046
Keywords Spanish Civil war, Malaga, women prisoners
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1084799
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0960777301003046
Additional Information Additional Information : This article © Cambridge University Press

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