Preferred Name
Marvin D. Black
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4987-2754
Date of Graduation
5-14-2026
Semester of Graduation
Spring
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Department of History
First Advisor
Jessica Davidson
Second Advisor
Kristen McCleary
Third Advisor
Neel Amin
Abstract
The Spanish Civil War remains a significant cornerstone of the historical narrative of the early 20th century, as it served as the political and military precursor to World War II. The war was far more complex than a simple conflict between two ideologies, with many political and military leaders often overlooked. One of these individuals was Dolores Ibárruri, a leader of the Spanish Communist Party, who called on her experiences as both a mother and a communist to galvanize support for the Second Republic. How these two facets interacted and were shaped by Ibárruri’s personal experiences is often overlooked. Through a selection of her speeches, autobiography, and letters, backed by secondary sources that provide a foundation into the political, economic, and military history of Spain and Communism, this thesis seeks to assess her understanding of communism and motherhood in order to understand how her orthodox communist ideology intertwined with her identity as a mother.
Included in
History of Gender Commons, Labor History Commons, Military History Commons, Political History Commons, Women's History Commons
