Marinos VIMA, 13.11.22 – FB

My post on FB, 13.11.2022

It is a great honor and joy for me to have today’s article by the prominent economist and journalist Mr. Giannis Marinos, dedicated to my latest book. I thank him warmly! The full article is below:

Marinos Giannis, 13.11.2022, 08:00

When the female sapiens rise up | tovima.gr

Homo sapiens means a person who knows, wise, prudent, intelligent, logical, clever, measured, insightful. I present this definition to clarify the title of Anna Karamanou’s book “The Peaceful Uprising of Female Sapiens 1821-2021” (published by Armos), a title that may be unclear to the average reader but accurately reflects whom the book is dedicated to. It is dedicated to Greek women who have fought and continue to fight for women’s equality with men from 1821 to the present day.

I got to know Anna Karamanou closely when we were both members of the European Parliament representing different parties (me from New Democracy, her from PASOK). We found ourselves at odds when the issue of the monastic state of Mount Athos was raised, which she passionately opposed while I strongly defended it. Despite her steadfastness in her positions, she always wore a smile, and from then on, we became good friends.

Her new book discusses with research diligence and barely contained passion the struggles of Greek female sapiens who had the courage to rebel and challenge the dominance of males. It is readable, comprehensible, provides historical knowledge, and offers food for thought, reflection, and further research.

Citing the observation of the father of Greek historiography, Konstantinos Paparrigopoulos, that “the history of Greece has come to resemble the sacred monasteries of Mount Athos, where no female of any kind may enter,” the author expresses her outrage: “It is astonishing how and why women are invisible as political and historical subjects, even when they participate in the major and minor events of history.”

With this book, she seeks to bring to light the silenced contribution of women in the struggle for liberation from the Ottomans and subsequently, in the establishment of democracy, the Europeanization, and the construction of a rule of law state, a member of the European Union.

As she emphasizes: “Thousands of women enlisted and contributed greatly, in many ways, to the national liberation struggle, surpassing traditional roles and achieving gender equality on the battlefield. However, the heroines of 1821 were sidelined! They were not recognized even with the right to participate in the administration of the newly established state, nor in education, work, or entrepreneurship.” The author questions: “What would Greece be like today if half of its human resources had not been excluded from the economic and political life of the country from the very beginning? Why, after all, does 21st-century Greece remain so deeply patriarchal, so primitively misogynistic?” Her book seeks to answer these and other related questions. Moreover, her research is methodical, supported by data and arguments that demonstrate a thorough analytical effort.

Despite the author’s passion, in my opinion, a unique and well-researched work has emerged that fully justifies the endeavor. After all, I believe that the related research effort on this topic is unique, as far as I know. For this reason, I consider it a national contribution. This column does not feature books except for rare and particularly significant exceptions, in my opinion. Mrs. Karamanou’s book is a noteworthy exception.