"To Act as Interpreter": Organizing Labor(s) in the Ladies' Christian Union.

The article discusses the challenges faced by working-class women in the Ladies' Christian Union, focusing on the role of recording secretaries in interpreting and reframing conversations to bridge class differences. It analyzes the rhetorical strategies used in meeting minutes to construct a collec...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Legacy (07484321) Vol. 41; no. 2; pp. 284 - 293
Autor principal: Martin, Alice
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: University of Nebraska Press 2024
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:The article discusses the challenges faced by working-class women in the Ladies' Christian Union, focusing on the role of recording secretaries in interpreting and reframing conversations to bridge class differences. It analyzes the rhetorical strategies used in meeting minutes to construct a collective identity and maintain cohesion across class divisions. The text highlights the exclusionary practices of the organization, such as racial and religious restrictions on boarders, and the sentimentalized narratives used in reports to garner support from a white, middle-class audience. The article emphasizes the complex and laborious nature of social organization and the limitations of class solidarity in women's charitable organizations like the Ladies' Christian Union.