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In:The Moving Canon(s) of Slavic Children’s Literature
Edited by Mateusz Swietlicki, Dorota Michułka and Zofia Zasacka
[Children’s Literature, Culture, and Cognition 20] 2026
► pp. 179–194

Chapter 9
The silence of herstory

Experiences of Polish women beyond the canon

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Abstract
This chapter analyzes contemporary Polish herstorical literature for children and young adults that has not been included in the school canon. It identifies three key areas of herstory — exceptional women, feminist movements, and experiences of sexuality, the body, and motherhood — and examines how they are addressed in selected texts. The study contrasts the framing of gender in such literature with the gender imbalance evident in Polish curricula and textbooks, which reveals the systemic underrepresentation and stereotyping of female characters. It highlights the potential of fictional biographies for reclaiming marginalized voices and cultivating intergenerational memory. The article highlights the role of literature in constructing alternative historical narratives (herstory) that promote gender sensitivity, inclusivity, and critical engagement with the past.
Article outline
  • The canon as a space of silence: Gender and representation
  • Filling the blank spots of the school canon: Suggested herstory texts
  • Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (31)
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