Introduction: women’s grassroots activism: new histories of female activism in twentieth-century Britain and Ireland

This special issue examines women’s grassroots activism in Britain and Ireland from 1918 to the late twentieth century. Emerging from the AHRC-funded network ‘Agency and Advocacy: Locating Women’s Grassroots Activism in England and Ireland, 1918 to the Present’, it brings together eleven articles that explore how women organised within voluntary associations, community groups, workplaces, and social movements. The collection challenges protest-centred definitions of activism by highlighting a broader range of practices, including education and information sharing, community service, and craftivism. In particular, this Introduction and the collection more widely argue for a greater emphasis to be placed on ‘quiet’ forms of activism. Contributors demonstrate how everyday experiences shaped women’s pathways into collective action and political engagement. The articles reveal the importance of local contexts while also tracing connections that transcended national or organisational boundaries. Collectively, the articles argue for a more inclusive understanding of activism and activist identity, demonstrating that women’s grassroots organising has played a vital role in improving the lives of women and girls across twentieth-century Britain and Ireland.