Kirsten Widdes
Candidate, M.A. History
| Degrees: | Honours B.A. History with Minor in Sociology (Carleton) |
| Email: | kirsten.widdes@carleton.ca |
Current Program: Masters – History (2017)
Supervisor:
Academic Interests:
Canadian history, specifically the period between 1945-1975. I am also interested in gender history, history of the family, and consumption.
Description of Research:
The area of study that is of interest to me is postwar suburbia, with a focus on the ways in which gender role ideals were disseminated. My interest in this area of study stems in part form the ability for it to be examined from both a historical and sociological perspective. I am also intrigued due to the fact that while the family unit changed in form over time, the postwar era is embedded in the collective memory as the gold standard of family form. I am also interested in examining what in particular about this time period made it conducive to the nuclear family structure. To tackle this topic, I plan to examine both public school readers and also print advertisements, to appreciate how the school systems and commercial media were agents of socialization in the dissemination of gender role ideals.