Overview
On the national level, Women's Studies began in the 1970s as the
academic component of the contemporary women's movement. Initially, the
aim was to include women in the knowledge pool, and for women's life
experiences to be the foundation of the discipline.
Since that initial founding, Women's Studies has expanded to
include theoretical and analytic discourse on the differences between
women and men and, more recently, has incorporated a focus on the
diversity of women. Today, women's studies courses examine gender with
a multi-viewing lens that incorporates the impact of race, class,
sexual orientation, age, and ethnicity on personal life and social
placement.
Women's Studies (WS) creates a critical thinking
framework for a systematic re-examination of the historical, economic,
political, social, and cultural experiences of women. The components of
both the major and the minor include interdisciplinary core courses
that survey feminist research methods and scholarship, and a selection
of elective courses drawn from a variety of disciplines. Courses in
women's studies address one or more of the following issues: (1)
examination of the lives, achievements, and perspectives of women in
the past and present; (2) exploration of gender roles as cultural and
cross-cultural concepts; (3) awareness of living in a gendered
environment, both in the public and private realm; (4) examination of
the impact of gender on social structures and stratification systems.
The Women's Studies major and minor at Widener facilitate
exploration of the rapidly expanding interdisciplinary scholarship in
women's and gender studies. Even in those disciplines that include
scholarship on women and gender, students often encounter this
scholarship in a marginal way. The systematic focus of a major will
remedy this situation and offer a credential that can be a substantial
asset in the job market. Students' ability to articulate what they have
learned about interdisciplinary scholarship as it pertains to the
intersection of gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, and class will
enhance their potential for success in their professions.
In most fields of study, scholarship on women and gender has become
increasingly influential because of its theoretical perspectives and
empirical findings. Due to the number and range of studies, theories,
and perspectives, it is difficult for any one discipline to keep up
with current scholarship. In Women's Studies, however, the
interdisciplinary analysis of gender examines those connections and
thus rounds out the student's knowledge and experience.
The Women's Studies major offers students the opportunity to pursue
a single major or a dual major or a Women's Studies minor with other
majors.
Goals of the Women's Studies Major and Minor:
- analyses of contemporary feminist theoretical frameworks,
methodologies, issues, and topics, and their relation to traditional
disciplines
- a focus on issues of gender, race, class, and sexuality
- an opportunity to broaden and enrich analytical skills in one
or more disciplines while drawing on the interdisciplinary perspectives
of Women's Studies
- a challenge to the traditional separation of academic theory
from political and professional practice by encouraging involvement in
the Women's Studies Program as well as an internship/service learning
focus on women in the community
For More Information:
Dr. Barbara Ryan
Director of Women's Studies, Widener University
Social Science Division, Chester, PA 19013
(610) 499-4374
Fax: (610) 499-4603 |
Current Events:
WS Luncheon Honoring Senior Citizen Students
co-sponsored by A&S and University College