Definition
Annie Besant (1847–1933) was a controversial and polarizing figure in her own time and remains so today. Born in central London, she expanded her scope worldwide, along the way encompassing the roles of social reformer, women’s rights advocate, and religious leader. She epitomizes the polymath, her interdisciplinarity reflecting her grasp of history, socioeconomics, politics, comparative religion, and science. Her trajectory took her from Anglican wife to Secularist who promoted birth control, through Socialism, to leadership of the Theosophical Society. Relocated to India in 1894, Besant spent the second half of her life arguing for home-rule in India and education for women.
Introduction
Annie Wood Besant (1 Oct. 1847–20 Sept. 1933) was a controversial and polarizing figure in her own time and remains so even today. Three-quarters Irish, born in central London, she expanded her scope worldwide, along the way encompassing the roles of social reformer, women’s rights advocate...
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References
Anderson, N.F. 1994. Bridging cross-cultural feminisms: Annie Besant and Women’s Rights in England and India, 1874–1933. Women’s History Review 3 (4): 563–580.
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Pécastaing-Boissière, M. 2017. Annie Besant (1847–1933): Struggles and Quest. London: Theosophical Publishing House.
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MacKay, C. (2022). Besant, Annie. In: Scholl, L., Morris, E. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Victorian Women’s Writing. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78318-1_3
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