Women's Studies
"My women's studies minor gave me an incredible life-changing opportunity to explore gender equality as well as social and cultural influence on females lives, historically and today. I count my self as very lucky to have happened into my women's studies minor because I got to work and learn under some of the best professors at Ithaca College and explore some of the most interesting topics and issues combined with fantastic experiences."
-- Kate Saumweber '06
FANTASY WRITER KRISTEN BRITAIN ’87 TO VISIT CAMPUS
On Tuesday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. in the Clark Lounge of Egbert Union, alumna Kristen Britain will return to Ithaca College to give a reading of her fiction and talk about the art of fantasy writing.
Kristen Britain is the author of the national bestselling series, Green Rider, First Rider’s Call, and The High King’s Tomb. Her work has been selected by the Science Fiction Book Club and she has been honored at numerous conferences. Translations of her novels into several languages are in progress.
Britain grew up in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. At Ithaca College, while earning a bachelor’s degree in film production, with a writing minor, she was encouraged by Dr. Katharyn Howd Machan of the Department of Writing to develop her love of fantasy further and keep it an active part of her life. Inspired by the Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls to pursue employment in national parks, she served for several years as a ranger, working in a variety of natural and historical settings, from high on the Continental Divide, to 300’ below the surface of the Earth. Currently she lives on an island in Maine, supporting herself with her fiction writing, working full-time on the next novel in her series which is driven by a strong female hero.
This reading, which is free and open to the campus community and to the public, is co-sponsored by the Women’s Studies Program, the Department of Writing (through the School of Humanities and Sciences Alumni Visitors Fund), the Office of Alumni Relations, and the Department of Sociology. For more information, call 607-274-3325.
Women’s Studies is an interdisciplinary program that explores all of women's and men’s experience as it has been constructed and described for/by them in a gendered world. Gender, defined as a social construction that reflects and determines power and opportunity differentials, is our central organizing category of analysis. Using this and other tools for analysis, Women's Studies explores how this social construction shapes the lives of women and men.
At Ithaca College, we, therefore flatten hierarchies. Our faculty, staff, and students come together from different parts of campus, bringing various interests and skills that foster a community friendly to all feminists and to feminist issues. The Women’s Studies program is both a place for women and men to feel comfortable and respected exploring and debating new ideas as well as a creative space for feminists.
Students who minor in Women’s Studies have assumed managerial positions in non-profit organization, have gone on to graduate programs in women’s studies, women’s history, and sexuality studies, and have undertaken careers in higher education as professors, administrators, and counselors.
In addition to class work, throughout the year Women’s Studies hosts lecture series and other events on campus, such as Women’s History Month and WomenSpeak. We support and are supported by IC Feminists.
IC Women’s Studies is led by a faculty coordinator and a steering committee.
As of July 1, the Women's Studies Program has a new Coordinator: Karin Breuer, History Department. Congratulations Karin!!
Find the list of Women's Studies courses offered next semester (Fall 2009) in the Documents sections.