Portraits of thirty-five pioneering women mathematicians who, in various historical periods, countries, and cultures, overcoming obstacles and prejudices, made a significant contribution to the advancement of science.

However, for these women, History and the stories of mathematics have dedicated at most brief comments or minimal references at their margins, or they have completely ignored them. It is often said that History is written by the victors, but the history of mathematics was written by men, the victors in the unfair war of myths and prejudices against distinguished women mathematicians. This is an injustice that this book seeks to remedy.

The development of mathematical knowledge largely depends on the community within which the meaning of new mathematical objects and practices becomes a topic of discussion, and their significance is raised to a matter of negotiation and ultimately acceptance or rejection. The possibilities and opportunities for women to establish themselves as academics or even as research mathematicians largely depend on their access to this community and their acceptance by it.

However, it seems that the process of access and acceptance is different for women than for men. The causes are multiple, objective or even subjective, but always socially constructed.

The first and very decisive reason why women were excluded from mathematics is ideological; it is the deeply rooted and widely disseminated prejudices according to which women do not possess the intellectual abilities to study mathematics and engage in mathematical research.

Excerpt from the book