Women's Studies for the Future

Book excerpt: Established as an academic field in the 1970s, women's studies is a relatively young but rapidly growing area of study. Not only has the number of scholars working in this subject expanded exponentially, but women's studies has become institutionalized, offering graduate degrees and taking on departmental status in many colleges and universities. At the same time, this field--formed in the wake of the feminist movement--is finding itself in a precarious position in what is now often called a "post-feminist" society. This raises challenging issues for faculty, students, and administrators. How must the field adjust its goals and methods to continue to affect change in the future? Bringing together essays by newcomers as well as veterans to the field, this essential volume addresses timely questions including: Without a unitary understanding of the subject, woman, what is the focus of women's studies? How can women's studies fulfill the promise of interdisciplinarity? What is the continuing place of activism in women's studies? What are the best ways to think about, teach, and act upon the intersections of race, class, gender, disability, nation, and sexuality? Offering innovative models for research and teaching and compelling new directions for action, Women's Studies for the Future ensures the continued relevance and influence of this developing field.