Women's Studies vs. Gender Studies

PART 6 OF 8

Dear list, I write to ask for information. Our Women's Studies Program is in the
process of a name change and I am not completely happy with the name we voted on
(Women, Gender, and Sexuality Program). I would like to consider the alternative
Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. The crux of the issue for many people in
our Program is the 's. So, I write to ask if people remember why we include the
's in the first place. If memory serves me, some programs were originally called
women studies and the change was made to women's studies because, it was argued,
the word "women" connoted an autonomous monolithic group which overlooked
important differences. Am I wrong? Were there other reasons? Or is the
difference between "women" and "women's", as many people in my program insist,
merely a matter of possessiveness? Any insight into the history of this question
would be deeply appreciated. Thank you in advance, Temma

---------------------------------------
Temma Berg 
Professor of English 
Gettysburg College 
tberg AT  gettysburg.edu

I'm not a Women's Studies academic, but fwiw: To me, Women Studies, especially
when paired with phrases like Gender Studies, suggests that women are the
passive object of stud. The 's allows the interpretation that women are actively
doing the studying.

Clare Holzman
1841 Broadway, Suite 711 
New York, NY 10023 
clare.holzman AT  verizon.net

In addition to emphasizing that women are (in large part) the agents doing the
studying (as well as the objects of study), the possessive form indicates that
such studies are "for women" -- i.e. that they aim to improve the lives/status
of women. It highlights the socio-political orientation of the field. Of course,
women's studies is also how the field is identified in the name of the national
professional organization in the U.S. (NWSA), Canada (CWSA), and in some other
places as well. I would strongly resist moving to "women studies."

cheers, Sheila
__________________ 
Sheila Hassell Hughes 
Associate Professor and Chair 
Department of English 
University of Dayton 
300 College Park 
Dayton, OH 45469-1520 
shughes AT  udayton.edu

Greetings to all. 

A week ago I sent a query to the list looking for feedback from those of you who
are involved in Women's/Gender/Sexuality (etc.) departments or programs that
have changed names from "women's studies" to some other combination of words. As
indicated in that early email (copied below), we at Bucknell University are
considering a name change. One of the reasonsásome in our program want toáchange
our name is in anáattempt to attract more students and faculty into the program,
which is why we wanted to find out from you whether you thinkáname changes made
at your institutions (dropping "women" and/or adding "gender" and/or adding
"sexuality," for instance) has in fact resulted in increases in campus
participation in your department/program.

As a result of my query, I received several responses of people who were eager
to learn the results of this informal survey, as similar conversations are
arising at their own institutions. But Iáwas surprised to receive onlyáone
substantive response to the original question. So, I thought I'd try one more
round of query. Apologies for cluttering the boxes of those for whom this topic
is not relevant.

I would be grateful for any information you might be willing to share about such
changes at your institution. If you respond to me privately, rather than to the
list, please indicate whether you would be comfortable with me sharing your
response with other members of my program and/or with others on this list.

Thanks very much!

Coralynn Davis

-- 
Coralynn V. Davis
Associate Professor of Women's and Gender Studies and Anthropology
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA  17837
Email: cvdavis AT  bucknell.edu

Original message from 11-12-08: 
The Women's and Gender Studies Program at Bucknell University is 
considering changing its name. We are considering dropping the word 
"Women" from /and/or/ adding the word "Sexuality" to the name of our 
program. I realize that many of us around the country and beyond have 
been involved in such discussions regarding the names of our programs, 
and the arguments, intellectual and tactical, on all sides have been 
well vetted. 

What we are interested in knowing is what the /consequences/ have been 
in those programs who have changed their names, in particular in regard 
to the /demographics /and /numbers/ of a) /faculty/ and b) /students/ 
involved in your program/department. Has adding or subtracting 
particular terms to your program/dept name had any such noticeable 
effects? We realize that name changes may be accompanied by actual 
curricular or resource changes. If you are able to disaggregate the 
effects of name vs. other changes regarding campus participation in your 
dept/program, or at least describe the curricular/resource changes that 
accompanied the name change, that would also be of help. If you feel 
that the name change has not had much effect on campus response to your 
program/dept., that, too, would be useful information for us. 

Thanks very much in advance for your reflections. I would be happy to 
collate the responses I receive to this email and send them to any 
individuals on the list who would like me to do so. 

This just happened today at Tulane.

Go, Big Green Gender and Sexuality Studies Program! GSS Director + Associate
Sociology Professor Mimi Schippers is in her first year.

In a larger sense, I think that this moment is an opportunity for women's
studies and women's centers to redefine themselves and focus.

We all walk the halls of the university of today. There are lots of
implications to renaming the cat, though, and  I welcome this convo at this
time.

CGK
nccrow.tulane.edu

Coralynn,

We (George Mason) changed our name from Women's Studies to Women and Gender
Studies last year.  The change has had a substantial impact on our program. 
While we don't offer a Major, we have a Minor, an interdisciplinary Masters and
a Certificate program.  The change seems to have impacted our Minor program the
most -- we have many more students declaring the Minor, and some of these
students identify as men.  Our student group, now called The Feminist Ninjas, is
also much broader in its' membership. We also are cultivating a closer
relationship with GLBTQ Resources, and are in the process of developing a GLBTQ
concentration within the Minor, and eventually hope to have a separate GLBTQ
Minor within Women and Gender Studies.  The broader umbrella of our program is
allowing a broader conceptualization of our program generally.  Let me know if
there are further questions.

best,
Vicki

Dr. Vicki Kirsch 
Associate Director, Women and Gender Studies 
George Mason University 
Fairfax, VA 22030 
vkirsch AT  gmu.edu

Dear Coralynn

Three years ago we started a Graduate Program (Masters and PhD)on "Women, Gender
and Feminist Studies" - the first one in Brazil - and we are very happy with it.
We have both men and women as students, and a growing number of candidates every
year.

Next year we will begin the first B.A. degree program in Brazil on "Gender and
Diversity", that includes women's studies. The exams for the selection of
candidates took place yesterday and today. Although we did not have an
expressive number of candidates, we believe that interest on the program will
grow.

Good luck in your "name change", I think it will be a wise move.

Cecilia

Profa. Dra. Cecilia M. B. Sardenberg, 
Diretora do Núcleo de Estudos Interdisciplinares sobre a Mulher - NEIM 
Universidade Federal da Bahia - UFBA 
Estrada de São Lázaro, 197 - Federação 
Salvador, Bahia, BRASIL  
ceciliasard AT  yahoo.com.br