'There is a wealth of detail about pay, conditions and work … This valuable empirical study has a complicated story to tell, and suggestive points to make.' Sian Reynolds, French History

• List of illustrations; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; Introduction; Part I. Defining a Feminine Sphere of Action, 1830–1914: 1. Public roles for maternal authority: the introduction of inspectresses, 1830–70; 2. Educating a new democracy: school inspectresses and the Third Republic; 3. Addressing crime, poverty, and depopulation: the Interior ministry inspectresses; 4. Protecting women workers: the Labor administration; Part II. Steps toward Equality: Women's Administrative Careers since the First World War: Introduction: the First World War: a '1789' for women?; 5. New opportunities for women in central government offices, 1919–29; 6. The challenges of the 1930s for women civil servants; 7. Gendered assignments in the interwar Labor, Health, and Education ministries; 8. Firings and hirings, collaboration and resistance: women civil servants and the Second World War; 9. After the pioneers: women administrators since 1945; Select bibliography; Index.

'There is a wealth of detail about pay, conditions and work … This valuable empirical study has a complicated story to tell, and suggestive points to make.' Sian Reynolds, French History

• List of illustrations; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; Introduction; Part I. Defining a Feminine Sphere of Action, 1830–1914: 1. Public roles for maternal authority: the introduction of inspectresses, 1830–70; 2. Educating a new democracy: school inspectresses and the Third Republic; 3. Addressing crime, poverty, and depopulation: the Interior ministry inspectresses; 4. Protecting women workers: the Labor administration; Part II. Steps toward Equality: Women's Administrative Careers since the First World War: Introduction: the First World War: a '1789' for women?; 5. New opportunities for women in central government offices, 1919–29; 6. The challenges of the 1930s for women civil servants; 7. Gendered assignments in the interwar Labor, Health, and Education ministries; 8. Firings and hirings, collaboration and resistance: women civil servants and the Second World War; 9. After the pioneers: women administrators since 1945; Select bibliography; Index.

'There is a wealth of detail about pay, conditions and work … This valuable empirical study has a complicated story to tell, and suggestive points to make.' Sian Reynolds, French History

• List of illustrations; Acknowledgements; List of abbreviations; Introduction; Part I. Defining a Feminine Sphere of Action, 1830–1914: 1. Public roles for maternal authority: the introduction of inspectresses, 1830–70; 2. Educating a new democracy: school inspectresses and the Third Republic; 3. Addressing crime, poverty, and depopulation: the Interior ministry inspectresses; 4. Protecting women workers: the Labor administration; Part II. Steps toward Equality: Women's Administrative Careers since the First World War: Introduction: the First World War: a '1789' for women?; 5. New opportunities for women in central government offices, 1919–29; 6. The challenges of the 1930s for women civil servants; 7. Gendered assignments in the interwar Labor, Health, and Education ministries; 8. Firings and hirings, collaboration and resistance: women civil servants and the Second World War; 9. After the pioneers: women administrators since 1945; Select bibliography; Index.