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Robitnytsia, Ukrainian Communists, and the 'Porcupinism' Debate: Reassessing Ethnicity, Gender, and Class in Early Canadian Communism, 1922-1930

2005; Athabasca University Press; Volume: 56; Issue: 56 Linguagem: Inglês

1911-4842

Joan Sangster,

French Historical and Cultural Studies

This article explores the connections between ethnicity, gender, and class in the Communist Left from the founding of the Canadian Communist Party to the advent of the Third Period in the early 1930s. Within the Communist Party, ethnicity was a contested and complex relationship; while the Ukrainian section of the Party was numerically very strong, it was also disparaged as too 'separatist and culturalist' by the Anglo-Celtic leadership of the Party. By examining the paper produced by Ukrainians for women comrades, Robitnytsia (The Working Woman), we can examine the way in which gender, ethnicity, and class were imagined and experienced in early Party history. The founding, evolution, and content of Robitnytsia are explored, along with its influential editor, Myroslav Irchan. Special attention is paid to an extended debate in Robitnytsia about women's equality and role in the movement, at the time termed the 'porcupinism' debate. Resume Cet article explore les rapports entre l'ethnicite, le genre et la classe dans la gauche communiste de la fondation du Parti communiste canadien a la venue de la Troisieme Periode au debut des annees 1930. Au sein du Parti communiste, l'ethnicite a ete une relation contestee et complexe; alors que la section ukrainienne du Parti etait numeriquement tres forte, elle a aussi ete denigree comme trop 'separatiste et culturaliste' par les dirigeants anglo-celtiques du Parti. En examinant le journal produite par les Ukrainiens pour les camarades femmes, Robitnytsia (La femme au travail), nous pouvons examiner la facon dont le genre, l'ethnicite et la classe ont ete concis et vecis au debut de l'histoire du Parti. La fondation, l'evolution et le contenu de Robitnytsia sont explores, accompagnes de son editeur influent, Myroslav Irchan. Une attention speciale est accordee a un debat prolonge dans Robitnytsia a propos de l'egalite et du role des femmes dans le mouvement, a ce moment-la appele le debat du 'porcupinisme'.