Research Symposium
25th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, April 1, 2025
Ariana Safi Poster Session 3: 1:45 pm - 2:45 pm / Poster #46

BIO
Hello, my name is Ariana Safi. I grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii and currently attend FSU as a Freshman. I am a psychology and biology double major on the pre-med track. I have travelled to Europe over fifteen times and have a deep interest in French, German, and British History.
Ungentlemanly Warfare
Authors: Ariana Safi, Danielle WirsanskyStudent Major: Psychology
Mentor: Danielle Wirsansky
Mentor's Department: History Mentor's College: Florida State University Co-Presenters: Chiara Agudelo Lenhard, Spencer Cohen
Abstract
Our research aims to investigate the impact of gender on the female spies of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) F Section during World War II. Historically, the documentation of these female spies has been overlooked, biased, and not an accurate representation of their immense work and sacrifices. This research aims to fill the gap in World War II history by shedding light on the stories of these heroic women, exposing the trials and tribulations of the agents in the SOE F Section, whose contributions remain woefully underrepresented in common discourse. Our methodology involved dissecting literature on the subject, categorizing information into spreadsheets, transcribing archival audio interviews with F Section spies, analyzing primary documents and personal artifacts. The results of our research were detailed spreadsheets documenting the working lives of each female F Section agent. Our research invites further investigation into the specific roles of women during this era, particularly those who were placed directly in harm's way due to their espionage work. Future research could expand this study to include female SOE spies from other nations and wars or explore the evolution of female espionage in contemporary contexts. Ultimately, this study emphasizes the crucial yet often neglected contributions of female operatives to the success of Allied forces and aims to restore their rightful place in history.
Keywords: WWII, Feminist, History