Between civil participation and commitment to women: the role of Maria de Unterrichter Jervolino in the history of education

Abstract

President of the FUCI, member of the Constituent Assembly and Undersecretary for Education in the early Republican era,
Maria de Unterrichter Jervolino was a key figure in the history of Italian education in the 20th century. This contribution aims
to reconstruct the work and activities promoted by the catholic intellectual for the development of an educational model centred
on individual moral responsibility and an enhancement of a spiritual dimension in education. Through her writings, teaching
and institutional commitment, Maria de Unterrichter Jervolino was a staunch supporter of a democratic and inclusive school
system. She strongly advocated for the establishment of nursery school, based on the themes of peace and social security, above
all placing the importance of female education as an essential tool for the emancipation and active participation of women in
public life.