Changing Focus of Textiles and Clothing Within Home Economics: An Analysis of Two Professional Journals

The visibility of textiles and clothing within home economics was measured by the number of articles published in the Journal of Home Economics from 1911 through 1980 and the Home Economics Research Journal from its introduction in 1972 through 1980. The articles with textiles and clothing subject matter emphasis were quantified and categorized in five areas: clothing construction/design, consumerism, historical textiles and costumes, sociological and psychological aspects of clothing and textiles, and textiles. The data were condensed at 10-year intervals and percentages were calculated. Articles dealing with subject matter other than textiles and clothing were counted for the first and last decades to ascertain the relative position of the field within home economics. The findings revealed coexistence of two or more areas during each decade with a dominance of textiles throughout except for the 1961-70 interval. Changes in one area affected the relative importance of other areas. The percentage representation of textiles and clothing increased from 8.4 percent (1911-20) to 15.8 percent (1971-80). Pertinent questions were posed for consideration by professionals in the field to help improve the visibility of textiles and clothing within home economics.