Gender studies in modern western historical knowledge: stages, theories, and research areas

The paper analyzes the main stages of the development of Gender Studies in the historical science of the West. On the example of the evolution of Women's History, Men's History, Gender History and Queer Theory in the second half of the 20th and the early 21st centuries, the author defines specific conditions and key directions for the development of these disciplinary fields, united by an interest in gender and sexuality issues in the historical perspective. Drawing attention to the American and British historiography as reflecting the main Western trends, the paper presents the main research areas of Women's Studies and Gender Studies, as well of the Sexuality Studies. The author highlights the problems experienced by Women's, Men's, Gender and Queer History researchers and defines interrelationships and differences of these branches of academic knowledge. The article focuses on important theories that formed the basis of Gender History or were suggested by gender historians themselves. The author analyzes the theory of social construction of gender, formulated in sociology, the intersectionality theory emerged at the junction of gender theory and critical racial theory, and poststructuralist ideas contributed to a rethinking of sexuality and identity. The significance of each theory is examined on the basis of specific historical studies. The author highlights the main stages of the development of Women's and Gender History and concludes that there has been a significant evolution and diversification of research on gender in historical science and the humanities in general.