--- product_id: 46664843 title: "Shorn Women: Gender and Punishment in Liberation France" price: "65536CFA" currency: XOF in_stock: true reviews_count: 4 url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/46664843-shorn-women-gender-and-punishment-in-liberation-france store_origin: SN region: Senegal --- # Contextualizes across Europe & eras In-depth historical analysis Explores gendered justice & punishment Shorn Women: Gender and Punishment in Liberation France **Price:** 65536CFA **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > ⚡️ Dive into the untold stories of liberation’s shadow — where history, gender, and justice collide! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Shorn Women: Gender and Punishment in Liberation France - **How much does it cost?** 65536CFA with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/46664843-shorn-women-gender-and-punishment-in-liberation-france) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Cross-European Contextualization:** Places French events within broader 20th-century European practices. - • **Groundbreaking Historical Insight:** Unveils untold stories of post-WWII France’s gendered punishments. - • **Ideal for Scholars & Curious Minds:** A must-read for enthusiasts of WWII, feminist theory, and French history. - • **Nuanced Gender & Justice Exploration:** Challenges myths about collaboration and reveals complex social dynamics. - • **Thought-Provoking Feminist Perspective:** Engages with controversial interpretations that spark critical debate. ## Overview Shorn Women: Gender and Punishment in Liberation France is a compelling historical investigation by Fabrice Virgili that examines the public head-shaving of over 20,000 French women accused of collaboration after WWII. This used book in good condition offers a pioneering feminist and socio-legal analysis, revealing the complexity behind this form of punishment, its gendered implications, and its broader European context. Essential for readers interested in feminist theory, French history, and the nuanced aftermath of war. ## Description At the end of World War II, over 20,000 French people accused of collaboration with Germany endured a particularly humiliating act of revenge: their heads were shaved in public. Nearly all those punished were women. This episode in French history continues to provoke shame and unease and as a result has never been the subject of a thorough examination.This groundbreaking book by Fabrice Virgili throws new light on these acts of retribution and reveals that, contrary to popular belief, a vast number of those women accused were innocent of any sexual involvement with Germans. Further, this form of punishment was in evidence well before the Liberation and in fact occurred in most European countries both in the twentieth century and earlier.Why were these punishments largely directed at women? Was a relationship with a German emblematic of female collaboration and betrayal, or were contemporary feelings of violence towards the enemy subsequently re-directed? Answering these questions and many more, Virgili suggests that the punishment was not only meted out for 'horizontal collaboration' but also for many other forms of involvement, and that the act of shaving the head was itself a form of sexual punishment. For Virgili, the public nature of the punishment was a defence strategy, a response to the German Occupation and a reaction to the suffering and violence that had preceded the Liberation.This pioneering investigation of one of France's darkest moments will be fascinating reading for anyone interested in World War II, French history or women's studies. Review: Interesting but Lacking - The author is a modern feminist. She (I'm presuming it is a she) loves to complain about how horrible this punishment was. The shaving of women's heads was a punishment for collaboration with the enemy - usually horizontal comfort. The author fails to consider the fact that the penalty for collaboration with the enemy was often death. Compared to the death penalty, shaving a woman's head, which was only a temporary thing, seems extremely trivial. It is also interesting to see no explanation of why shaving a woman's head was considered so shameful - in the author's opinion - or where the idea came from. Maybe it came from 1 Corinthians 11. There are certainly some interesting facts, but it is way too drawn out and too slanted. The shaving of the head seems to me to be a rather lenient punishment for the crime. Review: the other reviewer makes an excellent point about the severity of this punishment as much ... - I disagree with the other review. The author does explain some possible reasons why their heads were shorn. the other reviewer makes an excellent point about the severity of this punishment as much less than death. However F. Virgil states that the women would sometimes be tried in the traditional courts after the sheering. so the summery justice and the traditional justice system treated some women. Seems a little bit too much to me. But this is a great book that really explains how often this is thought to have happened based on evidence available. I recommend it and would like to see it in a college reading list. ## Features - Used Book in Good Condition ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #2,838,433 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #3,653 in Feminist Theory (Books) #4,079 in French History (Books) #4,390 in General Gender Studies | | Customer Reviews | 3.3 out of 5 stars 4 Reviews | ## Images ![Shorn Women: Gender and Punishment in Liberation France - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61A4QcwVIwL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐ Interesting but Lacking *by M***L on December 4, 2014* The author is a modern feminist. She (I'm presuming it is a she) loves to complain about how horrible this punishment was. The shaving of women's heads was a punishment for collaboration with the enemy - usually horizontal comfort. The author fails to consider the fact that the penalty for collaboration with the enemy was often death. Compared to the death penalty, shaving a woman's head, which was only a temporary thing, seems extremely trivial. It is also interesting to see no explanation of why shaving a woman's head was considered so shameful - in the author's opinion - or where the idea came from. Maybe it came from 1 Corinthians 11. There are certainly some interesting facts, but it is way too drawn out and too slanted. The shaving of the head seems to me to be a rather lenient punishment for the crime. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ the other reviewer makes an excellent point about the severity of this punishment as much ... *by J***R on April 10, 2017* I disagree with the other review. The author does explain some possible reasons why their heads were shorn. the other reviewer makes an excellent point about the severity of this punishment as much less than death. However F. Virgil states that the women would sometimes be tried in the traditional courts after the sheering. so the summery justice and the traditional justice system treated some women. Seems a little bit too much to me. But this is a great book that really explains how often this is thought to have happened based on evidence available. I recommend it and would like to see it in a college reading list. ### ⭐⭐⭐ excellent information. overly-subjective. *by S***U on October 10, 2016* Excellent information if you keep alert. Not a page-turner and quite randomly ordered information (I'm sure Fabrice and his editors had their reasons.) Also I found the information- which was rarely personal anecdotes- was presented (interpreted) quite subjectively and the subjectivity was very male and unsympathetic to the trauma these women suffered. He takes an: 'it'll grow back' attitude and deems shaving and tarring as signs of cultural cleansing and fails to take into account the personal. This was my experience of the book anyway. I'd be fascinated to know what other people think. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/46664843-shorn-women-gender-and-punishment-in-liberation-france](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/46664843-shorn-women-gender-and-punishment-in-liberation-france) --- *Product available on Desertcart Senegal* *Store origin: SN* *Last updated: 2026-09-15*