Abstract
This introduction discusses the western cultural context that connects the following three articles of site-specific research on the Adelaide Destitute Asylum in South Australia, the Ross Female Factory (prison) in Tasmania and the Magdalen Asylum in Philadelphia. These institutions are a few of the many types of nineteenth century asylums and prisons. Although some research issues are raised the purpose of this introduction is to provide a general historical context for the different research designs which are presented in the articles. While this introduction provides a largely ungendered historical background from ungendered sources, the companion feminist commentary following the articles addresses the gendered historical context and the feminist issues in the articles.
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Spencer-Wood, S.M., Baugher, S. Introduction and Historical Context for the Archaeology of Institutions of Reform. Part I: Asylums. International Journal of Historical Archaeology 5, 3–17 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009541108745
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009541108745