New Research Analyzed

Dr. Kristina Boylan Analyzes Political Mobilization of Catholic Women in 20th Century Mexico in New Research 

SUNY Poly Associate Professor of History Kristina Boylan and Sofia Crespo Reyes of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (Mexico City, Mexico) recently guest-edited a special issue of Mexican Studies/Estudios Mexicanos (vol. 40, issue 2, Summer 2024). In that issue, they co-authored the introduction titled, “New Approaches to Political Catholicism and Women’s Activism in Twentieth-Century.”  
 
The introduction contributes to a deeper understanding of the political dimensions of Catholic women’s social action in Mexico, connecting the research presented by the issue contributors to ongoing discussions in modern Mexican history. It highlights women’s significant yet often overlooked role in political Catholicism and women’s activism, offering new insights for historians, gender studies scholars, and political scientists. Furthermore, their findings imply that Catholic women’s activism played a crucial role in shaping modern Mexican society, challenging previous historiographical exclusions and redefining the boundaries of political and religious participation for women. 

The aim of their presentation of the special issue was to analyze the political mobilizations of Catholic women in twentieth-century Mexico, focusing on their roles in maintaining religious practices and engaging in civic leadership within their communities. The study explores how these women adapted to revolutionary policies, technological changes, and transformations within the Church that followed the Second Vatican Council.