T He U Niversityof W Isconsin S Ystem

T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f W i s c o n s i n S y s t e m Feminist Collections

A Quarterly of Women’s Studies Resources

W OMEN’ S S TUDIES

Volume 27, Numbers 2–3, Winter–Spring 2006 Published by Phyllis Holman Weisbard L IBRARIAN Women’s Studies Librarian Feminist Collections

A Quarterly of Women’s Studies Resources

Women’s Studies Librarian University of Wisconsin System 430 Memorial Library 728 State St. Madison, WI 53706

Phone: 608-263-5754 Fax: 608-265-2754 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/WomensStudies/

Editors: Phyllis Holman Weisbard, JoAnne Lehman

Illustrations: pp. ii, 33, 35, 45, and cover: Miriam Greenwald

Graphic design assistance: Dan Joe

Staff assistance: Amy Dachenbach, Linda Fain, Nicole Grapentine-Benton, Christine Kuenzle, Ingrid Markhardt

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Feminist Collections is indexed by Alternative Press Index and by Library, Information Science, & Technology Abstracts. It is available in full text in Contemporary Women's Issues and in Genderwatch.

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Volume 27, Numbers 2–3, Winter–Spring 2006

CONTENTS

From the Editors ii

Book Reviews

Lost and Damaged: The Perilous American Pregnancy 1 by Claire Wendland

Changing Voices and Struggles of Feminist Activism 6 by Nancy Worcester

Round-Up: Blogging Women’s Studies 15

Reproductive Rights in the Blogosphere 22 by Vicki Tobias

New Reference Works in Women’s Studies 24

E-Sources on Women & Gender 34

Zines from the Stacks: Self-Published Tracts from Lady Library Workers 36 by Alycia Sellie

Periodical Notes 39

Items of Note 44

Books and Audiovisuals Recently Received 46

Subscription Form 49 FROM THE EDITORS

We hear a lot these days about works in Nancy’s review, or reduced to time we list a special issue of a devel- feminism being passé. If you think The F-Word, a new online zine pub- opment publication on “Repositioning not, just try Googling feminism passe, lished by a women’s studies under- Feminisms in Development,” an issue and look at some of the 266,000 hits. graduate and described in our of a journal on aging devoted to “New Has feminism outlived its useful- “E-Sources” column. “New Reference Directions in Feminist Gerontology,” ness? Not in the view of our contribu- Works in Women’s Studies” includes a and a counseling journal with a special tors and the works they describe and review of the Historical Dictionary of section called “Centralizing Feminism review. We start the issue with Claire Feminist Philosophy, a work that ably and Multiculturalism in Counseling.” Wendland’s review of three books on shows how the feminist movement has The “Items of Note” column includes pregnancy. Without a feminist cri- introduced whole areas of study into mention of a UN paper on “Femi- tique, pregnant women might have no the philosophical arena. nized Migration in East and Southeast countervailing force to mainstream Asia: Policies, Actions and Empower- societal expectations of pregnancy, the Each time we compile an issue ment.” fetus, and mothers. The commitment of Feminist Collections, I am amazed at Is feminism passé? Not in my to the reproductive-rights aspect of how many journals outside the realm book, and not in the pages of Feminist feminism is also a hot topic in the bl- of women’s studies continue to devote Collections! ogosphere, according to our blog entire issues to the interaction of femi- P. H . W. watcher Vicki Tobias, who highlights nism with their respective fields. This several of the best reproductive rights blogs in this issue. The fact that four of the six reports in our round-up on the use of blogs in women’s studies have “feminism” in their titles demonstrates that academic women’s studies continues to maintain its tie to feminism. The personal side of feminism is replete in the zines such as I Dreamed I was Assertive, created by library workers and reviewed by Alicia Sellie. Feminism not needed anymore? That is contested mightily by academic and activist Nancy Worcester and the four books on feminist activism she calls to readers’ attention. Young activist women are still comfortable with the term, too, perhaps re-cast, as in The Fire This Time: Young Activists and the New Feminism, one of the Miriam Greenwald

P.S. While we’re (sort of?) on the subject... Our office just received an announcement of this provocative title — Split Decisions: How and Why to Take a Break from Feminism, by Janet Halley — just published by Princeton University Press (July 2006). Would any FC readers like to discuss or review it?

Page ii Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2-3, Winter-Spring 2006) BOOK REVIEWS LOST AND DAMAGED: THE PERILOUS AMERICAN PREGNANCY

by Claire Wendland

Janet Golden, MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE: THE MAKING OF FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2005. 232p. $25.95, ISBN 0-674-01485-5.

Linda Layne, MOTHERHOOD LOST: A FEMINIST ACCOUNT OF PREGNANCY LOSS IN AMERICA. New York: Routledge, 2003. 354p. $27.95, ISBN 0-415-91148-6.

Rayna Rapp, TESTING WOMEN, TESTING THE FETUS: THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF AMNIOCENTESIS IN AMERICA. New York: Routledge, 2000. 368p. pap., $22.95, ISBN 0-415-91645-3.

Pregnancy in modern America drunkenness at the moment of concep- Drawing from a wide variety of is supposed to follow a predictable or tion. FAS as a medical syndrome was resources including medical journals, at least controllable course — every- recognized in 1973 by a Seattle pedia- television shows, and courtroom tran- one agrees on what to expect when trician who identified similarities in a scripts, Golden traces the history of you’re expecting — culminating in handful of infants born to alcoholic FAS over the next three decades, dem- the blessed event itself. In different mothers: though unrelated, all of the onstrating ways in which public per- ways, these three books explore alter- babies exhibited short stature, develop- ceptions of the syndrome and those native narratives of pregnancy: stories mental delays, and certain characteris- affected by it shifted dramatically. of loss, damage, and uncertainty in tic facial features. Many members of Once FAS was generally accepted to which pregnant women are moral pi- the medical profession initially found exist, it was initially perceived as a oneers — or moral deviants. Authors it hard to accept that alcohol could be public health scourge to be resolved Golden, Layne, and Rapp all chal- a teratogen (an agent responsible for medically by warning potential moth- lenge our understandings of parent- congenital malformations), particularly ers and aborting potentially affected hood (especially motherhood) and as it was often prescribed to pregnant fetuses. After all, if alcoholism and our cultural anxieties over maternal women and was an effective therapy FAS were diseases, as the medicalized and fetal persons, corporeal and imag- for preterm labor. The general public view held, treatment and prevention inary. was perhaps quicker to accept the new were within medicine’s purview. Historian Janet Golden explores syndrome as medical reality. Primed by Growing public ambivalence over the history of fetal alcohol syndrome the European thalidomide disaster, abortion after Roe v. Wade, however, as (FAS) in Message in a Bottle: The Rachel Carson’s exposure of the effects well as news coverage fuelled by the Making of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. She of DDT, and a series of well-publicized “crack baby” panic of the 1980s, led to notes that keen observers had detect- ecological catastrophes (including the a gradual shift from FAS-as-public- ed abnormalities in the children of terrible birth defects that followed the health-threat to FAS-as-moral-outrage. alcoholic mothers at least since En- dumping of methyl mercury in Japan’s Journalistic depictions of the mothers gland’s eighteenth-century “gin epi- Minamata Bay), most Americans were of children affected by FAS, once sym- demic,” but that they explained these ready to accept the idea that fetal de- pathetic, became increasingly hostile children’s smallness and slowness in velopment could be disastrously dis- in this phase. Drinking mothers were terms of inherited moral degeneracy rupted by chemical agents. and the presumed effects of parental

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 1 Book Reviews

publicly demonized as moral deviants will be particularly interesting for any- Layne is at her best describing and even prosecuted for criminal ne- one trying to understand how medi- the ways in which new reproductive glect or child abuse. In its third phase, calization and de-medicalization shift technologies, new forms of material FAS hit the courtrooms as alcohol (or reflect) the balance between what culture (in which bedding, clothing, manufacturers defended themselves is immorality and what is disease. and other gifts for the yet-unborn against allegations of negligence, mark it as consumer, therefore hu- adoptive parents fought for the provi- Where Message in a Bottle exam- man), and the words and images of sion of services for their FAS-affected ines the cultural meaning of the dam- the anti-abortion movement all come children, and prosecutors sought to aged fetus and the deviant mother, together to construct fetal personhood de-medicalize FAS as one of many Motherhood Lost grapples “abuse excuses” invented by lawyers to primarily with the dead get hardened criminals off the judicial fetus and the grieving hook on grounds of medical impair- mother. In this book an- ment. Through all these changes, as thropologist Linda Golden points out, one theme re- Layne presents years of mained constant: despite a complete research among pregnan- absence of evidence that low-level cy loss support groups in drinking could result in harm, govern- the wake of her own ment regulatory bodies and (to a lesser multiple miscarriages. extent) the medical profession insisted Layne contends that on the classic public health approach pregnancy loss is a taboo of providing educational efforts en- topic in America because couraging all pregnant women to it challenges our linear avoid all alcohol, rather than provid- narratives of pregnancy ing adequate resources to heavy drink- progress, and because ers seeking to change. when it occurs, the very symbols of new life — Message in a Bottle is well writ- pregnant woman and ten, thoroughly documented, and ac- embryo/fetus — para- cessible to non-historian readers, doxically also become though the narrative occasionally flags symbols of death. The (notably in the deposition-by-deposi- suffering caused by preg- tion account of a 1989 lawsuit against nancy loss is invisible the manufacturers of Jim Beam). both to biomedical mod- Golden does not include the voices of els, for which miscar- those affected by fetal alcohol syn- riage and stillbirth pro- drome or, with one or two exceptions, vide frustrating evidence their families. However, she presents a of the limitations of compelling account of the way a single technological intervention, and to ever earlier in American pregnancies. diagnosis focuses tensions over respon- feminist childbirth models, in which This early personhood, she argues, cre- sibility and social change, becoming pregnancy and birth are joyful and ates a greater loss for mothers and simultaneously “a medical diagnosis natural, and for which a focus on the families when the vividly imagined and a judgment about bad mothers, evils of that same technological inter- child dies. Layne situates her analysis damaged offspring, and bad excuses vention means that “nonmedically skilfully in the rich literatures of femi- for bad behavior” (p.169). Her book caused problems become invisible” nism and reproductive technology, of (p.71). consumerist commodification, and of traumatic memory. In the book’s most powerful and theoretically ground-

Page 2 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Book Reviews

breaking chapter, she demonstrates the turned to the heavens as part of a di- are those — and surely there are more ways in which “bereaved mothers use vine master plan, can fend off the than a few — who do not find the idioms of the gift to construct (or re- shame or self-blame common among Christianized language of precious lost construct) themselves as exemplary those who experience stillbirth or mis- angels and gifts to God, so common women and mothers in and against a carriage. Gift metaphors transform to the UNITE/SHARE newsletters, context of capitalist production and grieving parents into exceptional cho- relevant to their own experiences? In- consumption” (p.145). Resisting the sen people. deed, where are the spoken voices of narrative that makes them (and their parents and family members dealing fetuses) failures of production, parents This analysis of gift language with pregnancy loss? Though Layne and the idiom of Ameri- lists among her research methods a can Christianity also significant ethnographic component points to the major of long-term participant involvement weakness of Motherhood in support groups, and does quote Lost. Layne’s method- from interviews with the founders of ologic focus on pregnan- those groups, other informants’ voices cy-loss support groups are represented almost wholly through such as UNITE and the poems and stories printed in sup- SHARE means that this port group newsletters. Not only does book reflects the experi- this stylized form before long begin to ence of a small fragment sound quite homogenous to the read- of the American women er, but it limits the analysis to the and families experienc- public face of the pregnancy-loss mu- ing the loss of a pregnan- tual-assistance movement. cy. After all, as the author herself points out, Motherhood Lost concludes with only a small fraction of imaginative suggestions for feminist those who lose pregnan- responses to pregnancy loss, based in cies attend such support part on the natural childbirth move- groups. Yet for most of ment, that would reincorporate wom- the book this fragment en into the community and provide — in general apparently ritual solace after miscarriage or still- white, middle-class, het- birth. Layne also advocates “prepared erosexual, married, and pregnancy loss,” arguing strongly (in Christian — is allowed this book and elsewhere) that women to stand in for the should be educated about the realities whole. Where is the of miscarriage and stillbirth during comparative method, a routine prenatal care. Some readers traditional strength of will feel that she underestimates the imagine lost pregnancies as temporary anthropology? Where are the poor likelihood that this sensible plan will spiritual gifts from God, given to women who miscarry? The immigrant bump up against a fear of conjuring teach them love, patience, and other women or minority women? The les- misfortune into being, a superstition moral virtues. They also position bians or single women? Where are by no means confined to “exotic” cul- themselves as givers: they give their those women who are not utterly dev- tures — in fact, one academic reviewer children back to God, and they give astated by miscarriage? Where are the of her book reported that she could their experience to others who have women who opt to abort and then live not bear to finish reading Motherhood lost pregnancies. A chosen, special, with an arguably much more stigma- precious child, sometimes analogized tized form of pregnancy loss? Where to Christ, loaned to the earth but re-

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 3 Book Reviews

Lost until her own pregnancy many problems in this ended with a happy birth. When does the embryo or fetus become a real world, it isn’t fair to add However, this and other human being?... What happens when those this one to his burdens.” pragmatic prescriptions make imagining this real human must confront a (p.92) a refreshing and brave change corporeal fetus or a child that deviates in some in an academic book. Women undergoing prena- Though they open Layne to way from the imaginary norm? tal diagnosis, their counselors, more potential criticisms, those processing their amniot- they will also be useful for ic fluid for karyotypes, and many clinicians and activists working Because she interviewed women disability rights activists are all heard in the arena of pregnancy loss. — and some men — of diverse ethnic, from in their own words, in interview religious, sexual, and class locations, excerpts that support Rapp’s analysis Like Layne’s book, Rayna Rapp’s Rapp is able to thoughtfully explore and make the narrative come alive. In Testing Women, Testing the Fetus: The effects of these and other factors on fact, clinicians, counselors, and geneti- Social Impact of Amniocentesis in Amer- women’s understanding of genetic cists struggling through the theory- ica is the culmination of years of work risks and choices. She argues that these heavy waters of the first two chapters and a profound personal interest in women are “moral pioneers,” working would be well advised to proceed the issue of genetic testing. Rapp out their own responsibilities and lim- straight to the more narrative-rich sec- brings the techniques of science and its in all the complexity of a medical tions of the book that follow for a technology studies and the theoretical world that subsidizes prenatal genetic unique insight into the experiences of perspective of feminist anthropology diagnosis but not the adequate scien- their patients and clients. Sociologists, to a study of prenatal genetic testing tific education necessary to under- anthropologists, and others of a theo- in New York City. She uses multiple stand the probabilistic language of ge- retical bent, on the other hand, will ethnographic techniques and sites: netic risk, and not much of the re- find the background chapters that sit- most central are participant observa- sources necessary for raising disabled uate this work in the broader literature tion in a cytotechnology lab where children. As Rapp makes clear, this very rewarding. amniotic fluid samples are processed difficult work is informed by one’s so- for chromosomal information; inter- cial milieu: Underlying the analysis in all views with hundreds of pregnant three of these works is a deep Ameri- women considering or undergoing Even the same diagnosis may can cultural ambivalence about the amniocentesis; attendance at events invoke different interpreta- moral status of the fetus and especially sponsored by disability rights activist tions and paths to decision- of the mother. When does the embryo groups and interviews with some of making. One genetic counse- or fetus become a real human being? those activists; and observation of ge- lor encountered two patients, At conception? At birth? At first ultra- netic counseling sessions. The multiple each of whom chose to abort sound image, or first image that indi- techniques, the diverse voices she pre- a fetus, but for strikingly dif- cates heartbeat, movement, or gender? sents to the reader in the course of her ferent reasons, after learning At possession of “real baby things” like work, and her refusal of simplistic in- that its status included XXY cribs and teddy bears, as some of terpretations of genetic technologies sex chromosomes Layne’s informants believed? What (as oppression of women, as biomedi- (Klinefelter’s syndrome). One happens when those imagining this cal breakthrough, as unequivocal mor- white professional couple told real human must confront a corporeal al good or evil) bring an unparalleled her, “If he can’t grow up to fetus or a child that deviates in some richness to this important work. The have a shot at becoming the way from the imaginary norm? Care- book has received several major president, we don’t want givers and others involved with FAS- awards, and it is easy to see why. him.” A low-income family affected children retrospectively relin- said of the same condition, “A quish the imagined perfect child, rec- baby will have to face so ognizing all the while that the difference between the lost child-that- could-have-been and the current

Page 4 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Book Reviews

child-that-is results directly from a of the woman in whose body and life will find much of interest in all three pregnant woman’s behavior. Those the imagined fetal person is formed, works as well. For most midwives, parents who experience miscarriage or encased, nourished? Is she an indepen- physicians, and nurses working with stillbirth appear in many cases to dent human being? Is she “potting pregnant women, Golden’s illustration make the opposite journey — from soil” (in Katha Pollitt’s evocative — via the case study of FAS — of the corporeal to imaginary. Though medi- phrase)? Or does she occupy some un- social construction and historical con- cal research demonstrates that a dis- easy status between the two? Each of tingency of the medical diagnoses proportionate number of spontaneous these authors depicts ways in which many of us take as simple “facts” will pregnancy losses involve significant American society struggles with such serve as a useful corrective. Though genetic abnormalities, Layne’s infor- questions. The grieving parents Layne clinicians should be cautioned against mants often comfort themselves with describes comfort themselves with im- reproducing Layne’s error of overgen- images of angelic and flawless lost ages of their lost perfect children, but eralization, they will also find the children, who in their imagined per- through their retrospective narratives most practical ideas for improving ob- fection watch over their parents from of loss we also see the imagined perfect stetrical care in Motherhood Lost. All heaven. Women who receive a diagno- mother: the loving giver for whom no three books will be valuable to aca- sis of fetal abnormality from genetic sacrifice is too great. Golden shows us demics studying reproduction across a amniocentesis make the most compli- the dark inverse of this maternal im- range of disciplines; all will likely be cated journey of all in cobbling to- age. In her analysis, the pregnant unsettling to most pregnant women gether information from counselors, woman in the post-FAS era is a crimi- (or those planning pregnancies), and family, media and other sources to nal waiting to happen, subject to the for the same reasons. From Rapp’s imagine the damaged baby (and child, policing of the public – or of the state groundbreaking and important study and adult, and life). Rapp’s analysis – should she endanger her fetus with of genetic testing to Layne’s flawed but makes clear that women’s decisions alcohol. The moral pioneers of Testing compelling work on pregnancy loss about what to do with the diagnosis Women, Testing the Fetus struggle visi- and Golden’s lively and accessible have everything to do with the speci- bly with both images, sacrificial giving overview of fetal alcohol syndrome, all ficity of this imagination. Her inter- mother and selfish monster mother, as of these texts explore deviations from views with disability rights activists they negotiate the choices they face the expected and policed norm of demonstrate their intense focus on after “positive” diagnoses. imagined perfect baby and imagined expanding, enriching, and altering the perfect mother, situating both in the imagined life narratives of the disabled Scholars interested in maternity messiness of the real world. fetus. in America will find all three of these books worth reading; in fact, Rapp’s [Claire Wendland is an assistant profes- Though each author has insights book should be considered required sor of anthropology, obstetrics & gynecol- to offer on the well-trodden ground of reading. For disability studies academ- ogy, and medical history & bioethics at fetal personhood and its relationship ics and activists, Message in a Bottle the University of Wisconsin–Madison.] to American abortion debates, perhaps and Testing Women, Testing the Fetus even more interesting to many readers will offer valuable insights. Clinicians will be their analyses of the moral status of the mother. What do we make

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 5 Book Reviews

CHANGING VOICES AND STRUGGLES OF FEMINIST ACTIVISM by Nancy Worcester

Maryann Barakso, GOVERNING NOW: GRASSROOTS ACTIVISM IN THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2004. 192p. $18.95, ISBN 0-8014-8910-5.

Jennifer Baumgardner & Amy Richards, GRASSROOTS: A FIELD GUIDE FOR FEMINIST ACTIVISM. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005. 306p. $14.00, ISBN 0-374-52865-9.

Diane Kravetz, TALES FROM THE TRENCHES: POLITICS AND PRACTICE IN FEMINIST SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS. New York: University Press of America, 2004. 226p. $34.00, ISBN 0-7618-2773-0.

Vivien Labaton & Dawn Lundy Martin, eds., THE FIRE THIS TIME: YOUNG ACTIVISTS AND THE NEW FEMINISM. New York: Anchor Books, 2004. 346p. $14.95, ISBN 0-385-72102-1.

When you hear the words “fem- and audiences. Maryann Barakso’s tivists. Drawing on a wide range of inist activism,” what images come to Governing NOW: Grassroots Activism in data collection, questionnaires, and your mind? Who are the feminists? the National Organization for Women, intense interviews with key partici- What age are they/we? What are the a scholarly book, examines one na- pants in the founding of these organi- strategies of activism, and which issues tional organization from its founding zations, community contacts, and pro- are worthy of feminist activism? How in 1966 through 2003. Using more fessionals outside the organizations inclusive are the movements of femi- than three decades of NOW’s own ar- who worked closely with the organiza- nist activism, and how important is it chives, reading every relevant New tions, Kravetz’s volume works to en- to participants that their own identity York Times article published between sure that the role of 1970s radical fem- and/or their organizations be labeled 1966 and 2003, personally interview- inists and the tenets of radical as feminist or associated —or not — ing twenty people significant to NOW feminism that influenced the goals, with a specific kind of feminism? work at different levels and stages, and services, and structures of different Any discussion of women’s move- attending numerous national and re- kinds of service organizations are re- ments and organizing would put gional NOW conferences, Barakso membered and celebrated. something called “feminist activism” at writes the history of NOW. Barakso’s the core of that work, but how often goal is to demonstrate how NOW’s The Fire This Time: Young Activ- do we take the time to think about organizational structure fundamentally ists and the New Feminism is a book of how the term is used differently by shaped its ability to do its work and its eleven new cutting-edge essays edited various groups in different historical longterm viability, and how NOW by Dawn Martin and Vivien Labaton moments? An unexpected reward of was or was not able to provide leader- of the Third Wave Foundation, with a reviewing four new books on feminist ship on specific issues. foreword by Rebecca Walker and a activism was the reminder of how im- coda by Wilma Mankiller. The essays portant and even inspiring it is to ex- Diane Kravetz’s Tales from the (on hip-hop music, theater, alternative amine the changing meanings and Trenches: Politics and Practice in Femi- media, technology, workers’ rights, struggles of feminist activism and the nist Service Organizations explores the transgender rights, prisoners’ rights, changing voices and faces of feminist founding of five local feminist service immigration, reproduction, environ- activists. organizations in Madison, Wisconsin, mental issues, international activism, The four books reviewed here in the 1970s as symbolic of the long- and the future of feminism) showcase were written for different purposes lasting, radical impact of feminist ac- how today’s young feminists’ multira-

Page 6 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Book Reviews

cial, multi-issue, and multicultural Violence against Women interviewed the founders and early work and thinking represent “a new Although violence issues could workers at a battered women’s shelter, movement whose conversation is race, hardly be said to be crucial to Barak- a rape crisis center, and a rape-preven- gender, and globalization” (p.xxix). In so’s history of NOW, this topic did tion ride service, finding that these describing their intention both to illustrate how an issue very important women “viewed their work as part of demonstrate an increasingly sophisti- to feminists proved to be controversial the diverse efforts of feminists to radi- cated understanding of “the complex for the organization. Barakso men- cally change the power differences be- network of gendered injustices” tions NOW’s work for both the 1994 tween women and men, differences (p.xxix) and to acknowledge contra- Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) that were supported and maintained dictions in a feminist future that is not and its 2000 reauthorization and full by male violence against women. “either this or that” but “this and funding as examples of the group’s im- Eliminating the problems of rape and that,” Labaton and Martin say, “In- portant national legislative work. battering required no less than a radi- stead of presenting our readers with a However, she also notes that NOW’s cal transformation of society; helping singular vision of what we think the national visibility on violence issues, women who were victims of male vio- future of feminism is, we present mul- particularly related to sexual harass- lence was one essential aspect of a tiple (and sometimes opposing) voices ment, was often controversial both much broader agenda” (p.27). The that together constitute a feminist pos- within the membership and outside. violence-against-women organizations sibility” (p.xxxiv). In describing Patricia Ireland, NOW’s she describes were typical of the many acting president, as “the first leader of thousands of battered women’s shel- Grassroots: A Field Guide for a civil rights organization to oppose ters, rape crisis centers, and projects Feminist Activism is a feminist “advice President Bush’s (1991) nomination of like the “Take Back the Night” march- book” on how to be an activist, by Judge Clarence Thomas” (who was es that were organized throughout the Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Rich- being accused of sexual harassment by U.S. and around the world in the next ards, the authors of the popular “third Anita Hill), Barakso acknowledges decades, giving much visibility to vio- wave” book Manifesta: Young Women, that “[o]ther civil rights groups found lence issues and providing many femi- Feminism, and The Future. Growing it difficult to rally against Thomas... nists with their first important steps as out of the authors’ extensive touring because they wanted to support an activists. related to Manifesta and their subse- African American on the court” quent very visible roles as spokeswom- (p.112). Similarly, Barakso tries to In order to appeal to young en to and for young feminists, Grass- capture the tightrope NOW walked in women and present activism as some- roots is designed to be accessible, trying to be in the vanguard of the thing quite new and different for this inspiring, and full of practical ideas, women’s movement, being account- generation, both The Fire This Time demystifying activism for all the femi- able to a grassroots membership, and and Grassroots seem to have initially nists who know they want to be activ- maintaining political independence distanced themselves from anti-vio- ists but are not sure how. from governmental institutions when lence activism, suggesting it was “old Precisely because these four books she describes NOW’s very measured hat,” before they could move on to were written for such different purpos- responses to Clinton’s alleged sexual including it in examples of powerful es and audiences and reflect different harassments. new forms of young feminists’ activ- stages of women’s movements, I found In contrast to Barakso’s brief men- ism. In her foreword to The Fire This it intriguing to explore what they help tion of violence against women as an Time, Rebecca Walker uses “Take Back us understand about key recurring issue for NOW, Kravetz makes this the Night” as a specific example of feminist questions. I have compared issue core to her exploration of the Feminist organizing that never cap- the books’ perspectives on violence founding of feminist service organiza- tured her imagination. In Grassroots, against women (as an example of one tions in the 1970s. Three of her five in helping young women identify their specific issue different generations of in-depth case studies showcase vio- goals for their feminist organizing and women have worked on), definitions lence-against-women organizing as a see that the widest range of campaigns and meanings of feminism, and ways way many 1970s feminists believed can be feminist, Baumgardner and Ri- to more successfully create multiracial, they could change the world. Kravetz chards say, multigenerational movements.

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 7 Book Reviews

Determining what makes an Vagina Monologues have raised more Diverse Meanings of Feminism issue feminist is a central di- than $25 million toward violence- among Feminists lemma for budding women’s against-women projects through the The history of NOW is the story groups...When people insist V-Day College Campaign, which in- of an organization continually debat- on “purely” feminist issues, spires and supports college students to ing — often with very deep divisions they usually get down to just do their own productions and donate — and redefining its self-proclaimed two topics to focus on: rape proceeds to local antiviolence groups role of being in the vanguard of the or abortion. (Or in the par- and initiatives. A German woman’s women’s movement. As someone who lance of the women’s move- success in getting thirty bakeries to has too easily labeled NOW a “main- ment, violence against wom- distribute 330,000 bakery bags saying stream organization,” I found it fasci- en and choice.) Some “Rape is Totally Unacceptable” (and nating to read Barakso’s accounts of students feel almost obligated giving hotline and anti-violence infor- how much it has always been an issue to take on these issues. (p.63) mation) is given as an example of a for NOW to be in versus outside elec- project that, already replicated in sev- toral politics and other avenues of the Having thus distanced themselves eral communities and countries, has “decision-making mainstream of from these “expected” forms of orga- the potential to be adapted almost American political, economic, and so- nizing, the authors of both books then anywhere. cial life.” In noting that one of NOW’s give examples of vibrant multiracial, earliest founding documents empha- multi-issue, anti-violence activism. In Baumgardner and Richards de- sized the importance of women being The Fire This Time we learn of femi- vote a number of pages (pp.65–72) to represented in Congress, party leader- nists organizing against violence: as specific details on improving sexual ship, and other mainstream institu- women defying the prison-industrial assault policies on college campuses. tions, Barakso remarks, “For these complex and the staggering increase in In this instance, they very positively feminists, at this moment in history the number of girls and women frame present-day activism as some- [1966], joining the ‘mainstream’ was a caught up in the criminal justice sys- thing that can build on and comple- radical notion” (p.24). Then, in 1974, tem; in relation to organizing domes- ment the work of earlier feminists: a time of internal divisions in NOW, tic workers who suffer high rates of Karen DeCrow was elected president, emotional and physical abuse; in rela- Sexual assault is a central with the slogan “Out of the Main- tion to protesting corporate globaliza- theme for college students stream Into the Revolution” supposed- tion; and even by making violence both because many young ly demonstrating her “caucus’s belief against women a topic for hip-hop people have first hand experi- that mainstream political tactics could theater. In her essay “Can You Rock It ence with rape and because of be effectively employed in the pursuit Like This? Theater for a New Centu- a long legacy of feminist stu- of radical social, economic, and politi- ry,” Holly Bass describes how Sarah dents organizing around the cal goals.” DeCrow emphasized, “I Jones is shifting the boundaries of hip- issue. We are fortunate to stated, very clearly, all along, that what hop theater in her solo hip-hop per- have vocabulary for things I wanted to do was not enter the formance piece, “Women Can’t Wait,” like date rape and a body of mainstream in full partnership with in which Jones depicts eight women feminist legal theory about men, but to change the mainstream” from around the world coming to- consent... The language, hot- (p.61). gether to address the UN on violence lines, and support for victims Barakso summarizes NOW’s on- (and sexually discriminatory laws) in are all the legacy of a success- going struggle to define its role as a their countries. ful Second Wave of feminism vanguard feminist organization: In Grassroots, Baumgardner and that transformed campuses Richards give detailed descriptions of from places where girls were The National Organization innovative ways young feminists are actively preyed upon, limited, for Women continues to be a now organizing against violence. and discriminated against to lightning rod for critics of the Many productions of Eve Ensler’s The places where equality might feminist movement. It earns reign. (p.65) the wrath of those who feel the group is too radical, too

Page 8 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Book Reviews

uncompromising in its focus tunities for women...To achieve their anti-war and student move- on abortion rights “on de- goals, they pursued incremental ments of the 1960s and trans- mand” and on the rights of changes and exerted traditional forms ferred their community-based lesbian and gays, to the exclu- of influence” (p.5). In contrast, political activism to issues of sion of the concerns of the Kravetz highlights the women’s libera- particular concern to women. “average” wom[a]n, such as tion branch of the women’s move- (p.7) pay equity, family and child- ment, which included smaller, decen- care issues, and employment tralized, nonhierarchical grassroots Kravetz found in her interviews with discrimination. At the same groups with goals to radical feminists that the term “radi- time, the organization is de- cal” was most often used for feminists nounced in other quarters for radically alter beliefs about who were working for changes in soci- not investing enough in issues women, to eliminate the op- etal structures as compared to those other than those concerning pression of women, and to working toward equality for women in white, middle-class, middle- transform personal relation- existing systems. Being “radical” re- aged professional women. ships and social institutions ferred to members being explicit about (p.121) to reflect feminist values. their feminist beliefs and publically Many of the women involved confronting patriarchal policies and Since Tales from the Trenches is in this movement were left- practices. Being “not radical” referred dedicated to making certain that the wing activists who had been to choosing to be less vocal about work and accomplishments of 1970s involved in the civil rights, one’s feminist beliefs and having a radical feminism are not for- willingness to adopt more con- gotten, it of course emphasiz- ventional strategies, while sharing es the significance of that many of the beliefs and goals of feminist activism. In identify- those who were “radical.” (p.19) ing different branches of fem- Kravetz concludes that “being inism and “diverse meanings feminist” was not a static state. of feminism among femi- People’s definitions of what it nists” (p.18), Kravetz reminds meant to be feminist and how it us of a time when it was im- applied to their work changed portant not only to call our- and grew in the intense interac- selves feminist, but also to tion of ideology and lived experi- label which kind of feminist ences. we were. She describes two quite distinct branches of ear- The authors of Grassroots ly-to-mid-1960s feminism. contend that young women are Large organizations like the group most likely today to be NOW, with elected officers, questioned about their comfort formal memberships, and with calling themselves feminists, local chapters, are character- even though public opinion polls ized as the women’s rights show women in this age group organizations that “focused (ages 18–24) to be more likely on improving the status of than older women to feel positive women through reforms in about the label. The authors ex- legislation and governmental plain how “Third Wave” femi- policies,...to eliminate dis- nism differs from previous femi- criminations based on sex in nism: “The First Wave was about education, employment, and women’s rights to citizenship, the electoral politics and to pro- Second Wave concerned women’s mote equal rights and oppor- equality, and the Third Wave

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 9 Book Reviews

stresses the power and the responsibili- front of the term feminism, ty of the individual” (p.21). for them, is a reclamation — When we do not know a way to be feminist with a about the important work The Fire This Time makes room notable difference. (p.xxv) women of color and white for many different definitions and identities of feminism, though always Multiracial, Multigenerational antiracists have done, we emphasizing the interconnectedness of Movements cannot be inspired by or issues and the need for multiracial, One of the most powerful things build on it. multi-issue, and multi-cultural work. about reading these books together is In describing why they felt the need to seeing the recurring theme of feminists create the Third Wave Foundation, identifying the importance of multira- as feminists. To successfully Labaton and Martin explain, cial, multigenerational movements. work on behalf of women as a Both The Fire This Time and Grassroots group required that members We didn’t have any compli- aim to create and reflect more inclu- represent women in their di- cated theories about how sive feminist movements in which versities and address signifi- third wave differed from pre- young women’s voices are heard and cant differences among wom- vious feminist uprising. Yet the activism is relevant. Figuring out en. (p.88) we were aware of the impact how to do this and to really have a we might have on reinventing “movement whose conversation is race, In discussing the lack of success feminism for future genera- gender, and globalization” (Fire, in building multiracial movements, tions of young people, who p.xxix) feels even more urgent as both Kravetz concludes that the 1970s fem- like us, had at times been Barakso and Kravetz remind us that inist organizations she studied were burdened by popular miscon- building more diverse movements has more effective in handling homopho- ceptions about the feminist always been an issue for NOW and for bia than racism, and that lesbians were movement. (p.xxiii) the 1970s radical feminist grassroots better represented in the women’s organizations, even if they weren’t ever movements than were women of color. Third Wave Feminism has as inclusive as they wanted to be. Bar- Because this chapter examines a num- been articulated as a genera- akso admits that there was always a ber of reasons why 1970s women’s or- tional difference — a reaction tension in NOW “between claims to ganizations were not successful in against perceptions about speak for all women and the limited building more inclusive movements, feminists that have permeated success achieved in trying to recruit a this historical analysis raises important society, not the movement more diverse membership, to partici- questions for today. itself. Many young women’s pate in diverse coalitions, and to put One problem with emphasizing reservations about belonging issues of importance to women of col- the lack of inclusiveness in women’s to the feminist movement are or, lesbians, and working-class women movements and the crucial need for not due to ideological differ- on the policy agenda” (p.91), but she more antiracist work is that most cri- ences but to misconceptions also emphasizes that NOW’s member- tiques make invisible the roles both of about feminists...Young femi- ship and goals were more diverse than women of color and of white antira- nists have shed the media- they are usually given credit for. cists. (In different ways, both Barakso espoused propaganda about Kravetz’s Tales from the Trenches in- and Kravetz have tried to make wom- feminists but have taken to cludes a thought-provoking chapter, en of color visible in their accounts.) heart the criticism from “Building a Sisterhood Based on Dif- When we do not know about the im- women of color that the sec- ference,” that clearly identifies the portant work women of color and ond wave was not racially or 1970s commitment to diversity: white antiracists have done, we cannot sexually inclusive enough. be inspired by or build on it. Two The addition of third wave in Being inclusive was an expec- books crucial for teaching this history tation they held of themselves deserve mention: (1) Becky Thomp- son’s powerful A Promise and A Way of

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1 Life: White Antiracist Activism offers their own frustrations with other left- nizations for references to much schol- readers two unique much needed per- ist civil rights and student groups that arship on feminist movements. These spectives: the “multiracial feminism” refused to address issues of women’s early chapters self-consciously try to chapter (and other parts of the book) rights. The value, practices, and strate- counter the widely accepted argument highlights the “emergence of the mul- gies these younger members brought that NOW was founded by and only tiracial feminist movement, founded with them also left a lasting impres- interested in white, middle-class, het- upon the creation of autonomous sion on NOW” (p.14). As a present- erosexual women and their issues. women-of-color organizations,” and day “older feminist” who has often the entire book makes visible the his- wanted to remind younger feminists In an era when “the increasingly tory and strategies of white people ac- that I used to be their age, I look for- pervasive backlash against feminism tively trying to work against racism ward to movements that emphasize has effectively erased the public’s un- and other forms of oppression. (2) intergenerational collaboration on the derstanding of the conditions of wom- Undivided Rights: Women of Color Or- widest range of feminist issues en’s lives prior to feminist change ef- 2 ganize for Reproductive Justice gives throughout the life cycle. As Baum- forts” and “too many women are voice to the many African American, gardner and Richards described the surprised to learn that the activism of Native American, Asian American, importance of having younger interns, radical feminists provided the roots for and Latina women who have long I thought they might be starting to see many of the attitudes, opportunities, been involved in struggles for repro- the dilemma of age-specific feminism: and services they take for granted” ductive freedom. (p.viii), Tales from the Trenches is espe- We get the perspective of cially important. The book’s use of While both The Fire This Time women who on average are well-chosen articulate, politically and Grassroots appear to be calling for ten years our junior, which is thoughtful, passionate quotes by feminisms more inclusive of young increasingly crucial since even 1970s activists can show students how women, I think the actual challenge is as we get older we are still 1970s feminism built the foundation to build more multigenerational considered generational for work they are trying to do today. movements and develop a deeper un- spokeswomen and frequently The combined richness of the derstanding of the interconnections of asked what’s on the minds of powerful quotes, the theoretical issues identified as crucial by women young women. (p.82) framework, and the discussion of spe- of different ages and at different his- cific issues and questions related to torical moments. None of these books Understanding and Promoting organizing makes Tales from the addressed this. All four books do dem- Feminist Activism onstrate the power of young feminists’ On our bookshelves, in our con- voices and action. While The Fire This versations, or in our classrooms, these I think the actual challenge Time and Grassroots are designed to books have very different roles to play is to build more multigener- represent critical thinking and many in our understanding and promotion forms of activism by young women of feminist activism. ational movements and de- today, Tales from the Trenches, in not- Governing NOW is not the kind of velop a deeper understanding the ages of the activists in different book many people will sit down to ing of the interconnections organizations, demonstrates that al- read from cover to cover, but it will of issues identified as crucial most all of the work described was serve as a useful reference. As a whole, done by that era’s young feminists. it will be of most interest to scholars by women of different ages Ironically, the issue of young women’s of organizational structures and orga- and at different historical role in feminist movements seems to nizers thinking through the benefits moments. None of these be as old as the movements, as Barakso and challenges of national organiza- books addressed this. writes that one year after its founding, tions compared to more local forms. I “NOW began coping [my emphasis] recommend the first chapters and with an influx of younger members their excellent notes to the more gen- who were attracted by the group’s po- eral reader interested in women’s orga- sition on reproductive rights and by

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 11 Book Reviews

3 Trenches excellent for teaching the theory courses. Some essays have al- to hear Baumgardner and Richards 4 “Women’s Organizations/Organizing ready been reprinted in anthologies, speak, and made the need for the book on Women’s Issues” unit for my In- and several have the qualities to be- obvious whenever they asked, “What ternship in Women’s Studies course. It come classic feminist references. can I do? And how do I do it?” The answers such important questions as Field Guide worked really well as a these: What did early “women’s orga- I would love to see Kathryn Tem- way to teach basic introductory ser- nizations” organizers create in terms of ple’s brilliant “Exporting Violence: vice-learning issues in my internship both feminist service organizations The School of the Americas, U.S. In- course, because it is full of accessible, and women’s culture? What did early tervention in Latin America, and Re- fun, explicitly feminist examples of feminist organizers leave in place for sistance” reach a wide audience. This activism. I was able to help my stu- today? How have the principles of essay builds on the feminist analysis of dents pull out the “gems” of general feminist organizing/women’s organiza- domestic violence as power and con- principles about organizing and activ- tions influenced a much wider range trol to develop an understanding of ism scattered throughout the book. of organizations and jobs? What U.S. foreign policy and globalization Students love the stimulating, non- “women’s organizing” has been institu- through the creation of a “Corporate judgmental encouragement Baum- tionalized and what has been coopted? Globalization Power and Control gardner and Richards give them to feel How have feminists done their work Wheel” and a discussion of the tactics good about the little or big ways they both within the system and to change of global abusers. “Exporting Vio- are living their feminism: the system? lence” was the key transition piece for Kravetz’s book also paves the way shifting my “Women and Violence” Being an activist in the world for students to think through the com- course to complex discussions of how doesn’t have to be complicat- plexities of building on earlier work to use a feminist analysis of violence ed and full of sacrifice; it can and adapting the principles to be more against women to develop gendered be as simple as influencing relevant for today’s activism. For ex- analyses of societal violence, war, mili- conversations around you. ample, Kravetz identified the principle tarism, and globalization. Temple’s (p.186) of “women helping women” as core to essay is a model of how to integrate how 1970s feminists identified their theory and practice as she writes of her An activist is anyone who ac- organizations as feminist. In an era own politicization and activism. cesses the resources that he or when we are more careful to empha- Feminists of all ages will be in- she has as an individual for size gender fluidity and a continuum spired by this and other essays that the benefit of the common of genders, articulate students are ea- show young activists finding and good. (p.ix) ger to debate the relevance of “women building extraordinary ways to shape a helping women.” better world. I urge every reader to see This book is full of very practical how the issues they care about are rep- ideas for “making a difference” in the The Fire This Time will undoubt- resented in The Fire This Time. These widest range of ways and places. It is edly be the book that finds its way essays and the excellent chapter of rec- at its best when the authors clarify into the most women’s studies and ommended organizations can energize complex issues such as how social jus- feminist classrooms, because of the us and give us new insights and con- tice organizations “can become them- urgency and freshness of what it has to tacts for the widest range of struggles selves promoters of the status quo — say, the high quality of many of the that are considered worthy of feminist because they have to sustain their own essays, and the fact that the topics lend action today. reason for being” (p.105). However, it themselves to the widest range of is the many specific moving activism courses. Colleagues have successfully Grassroots: A Field Guide for stories that will be the most inspiring used individual essays or the complete Feminist Activism is designed to appeal and useful to most readers. Addition- text for introductory freshman semi- to a wide readership, but its most un- ally, the up-to-date resource guide, nars and upper-level women’s studies mistakable audience is the young which is exactly what many of us need women who loved Manifesta, flocked within reaching distance, is an important selling point for Grassroots, much

Page 12 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Book Reviews

as the excellent resource guide of Man- have definitely carved out a unique nizing) process of being an activist and ifesta contributed to its popularity and niche in the young feminist world. A learning to identify how the small acts impact. recurring theme of the book is to reas- we can accomplish today relate to the sure the reader that it is O.K. to be a “bigger picture” and longer term Winona LaDuke’s powerful in- feminist and an activist even if one struggles. Precisely because it will be troduction to Grassroots sets the inspir- doesn’t have all the answers and hasn’t the book that introduces many young ing, realistic tone for the book when reached “moral perfection”: women to activism, and because it she shares, “My activism is simply in successfully raises the issue of contra- my life — it has to be, or it couldn’t We realized that one of the dictions, Grassroots can, ideally, also get done.” After describing her activist main barriers to seeing one- stimulate discussions about curiosity life, in which she writes her books at self as someone who could rather than complacency in relation to the same kitchen table where she feeds truly make change in the contradictions. For that purpose, I her five children and many Native world is that we feel trapped plan to complement Grassroots with community leaders, takes orders for in our own contradictions. (p. the “Be Curious!” theme I introduce alternative coffee, makes rawhide or- xxii) in Women’s Studies classes from Cyn- naments to support the White Earth thia Enloe’s “Being Curious About 6 Land Recovery Project she founded, Of course, it is imperative to as- Our Lack of Feminist Curiosity” : and does maple syruping, LaDuke sume and acknowledge that we all concludes, have contradictions, but I was some- The moment when one be- times left unsettled rather than in- comes newly curious about You don’t have to be Super- spired by what Baumgardner and Ri- something is also a good time woman to change the world. chards did with their discussions of to think about what created You just have to take respon- contradictions. It is important that one’s previous lack of curiosi- sibility for your life and your this guide includes examples of activ- ty. So many power structures community — and realize ism in conjunction with corporate- — inside households, within that you have the power to do chain America and from within big institutions, in societies, in so, even from your own sticky business, because this is how many international affairs — are kitchen table. (p.xv) people will do crucial activism. How- dependent upon our continu- ever, in too many places, Grassroots ing lack of curiosity...I’ve Paradoxically, a strength of missed opportunities to use the con- come to think that making Grassroots also turns out to be its tradictions inherent in our activist and keeping us uncurious weakness. In working so hard to make lives to encourage critical thinking and must serve somebody’s politi- activism feel easy and non-threaten- to model this critical thinking as core cal purpose. I have also being, Baumgardner and Richards have to feminist activism. come convinced that I am missed many opportunities to demon- deeply complicit in my own strate the joys of critical thinking. The My vision for feminist activism lack of curiosity. (pp. 2–3) authors have successfully written a is that we learn to be intrigued by our book “demystifying activism for those contradictions and use them to dig The Fire This Time demonstrates eager to be involved but confused and deeper for more sophisticated under- impressive ways today’s young women possibly intimidated by what that standings of the systemic structures and men are doing “social justice work might entail” (p.xviii) and “challeng- that perpetuate the status quo and while using a gender lens” (p.xxiii) and ing the notion that there is one type of constantly affect us, our daily lives, providing a “framework for looking at person who is an activist — someone and our activism. My years of living various tendencies toward domination, serious, rebellious, privileged, and un- and teaching activism have taught me (where) feminism offers a central be- realistically heroic” (p.xix). With their that learning to ask the hard questions lief system that helps interpret how keynotes assuring young women that (knowing there will seldom be easy or power imbalances affect our lives” “You Can Be a Feminist and Still Wear clear answers) is part of the (fun, ago- 5 a Thong,” Baumgardner and Richards

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 13 Book Reviews

(p.xxvi). Similarly, I hope people in- [Nancy Worcester is a professor of wom- 4. “Claiming Jezabel: Black Female troduced to feminist activism through en’s studies and continuing studies at the Subjectivity and Sexual Expressions in Grassroots will see Baumgardner’s and University of Wisconsin–Madison. She Hip-Hop,” by Ayana Byrd, and “The Richards’ words — that activism “is has been an activist for nearly forty New Girls Network: Women, Tech- challenging because you begin to ques- years, in England and the U.S., working nology, and Feminism,” by Sharon tion every decision” (p.188) — as a particularly on issues of women’s health, Lee, are included in Estelle Disch, Re- promise of a stimulating and reward- violence against women, and the inter- constructing Gender: A Multicultural ing life where critical thinking and connectedness of all social justice issues.] Anthology, 4th ed. (Boston: McGraw being curious are core to everything Hill, 2006) pp.239–247 and 248– one does. Notes 251.

All four of these books provide 1. Becky Thompson, A Promise and a 5. “Feminism and Femininity, or How Women’s Studies scholars, teachers, Way of Life: White Antiracist Activism We Stopped Worrying and Learned to and students with new information (Minneapolis: University of Minneso- Love the Thong” was the title of the and questions for appreciating, study- ta Press, 2001). keynote speech Jennifer Baumgardner ing, teaching, or inspiring feminist and Amy Richards gave at the Univer- activism. Reading them together can 2. Jael Silliman, Marlene Gerber Fried, sity of Wisconsin System Women’s remind one of the value of asking and Loretta Ross, & Elena R. Gutiérrez, Studies Conference at UW-Stout, Oc- answering questions about feminist eds., Undivided Rights: Women of Color tober 24, 2003. activism from very different perspec- Organize for Reproductive Justice (Cam- tives, so that the changing voices and bridge, MA: South End Press, 2004). 6. Cynthia Enloe, The Curious Femi- struggles of feminist activism remind nist: Searching for Women in the New us of both the important work that 3. Personal communication with Es- Age of Empire (Berkeley: University of has been done and the work that still telle Disch, Professor of Sociology at California Press, 2004) pp.1–10. must be done. the University of Massachusetts, Bos- ton, and Nancy Kaiser, Professor of German and Women’s Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Page 14 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) ROUND-UP: BLOGGING WOMEN’S STUDIES

Last year, Feminist Collections published “Blog This! An Introduction to Blogs, Blogging, and the Feminist Blogosphere,” by Vicki Tobias (v.26, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2005). That article is online at http://www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/WomensStudies/fc/fcblogs1.htm. Now we offer a follow-up piece that looks more pointedly at incorporating blogging and other new “e-formats” into the classroom — particularly the women’s studies classroom — with a round-up of ideas from instructors who are actually doing it. We invite instructors who have used blogs, wikis, or social networking software in other creative ways to contact us about contributing to future round-ups.

ASSIGNMENT: “WHAT IS A FEMINIST (BLOG)?”

by Mary Thompson

In the spring semester of 2006, I introduced for the first time an assignment that asks “Introduction to Women’s Studies” students to cross-examine several self-identified feminist blogs in order to produce a definition of contemporary feminism. I acknowledged immediately that, given the exclusivity of the Internet, this exercise would only produce a limited definition of feminism not reflective of feminists who cannot or do not access the Web. Students followed three blogs for four to five weeks before organizing their observations into a four- page paper. Although students could obtain permission to work with blogs of their selecting, the assignment suggested a list of blogs from which they could choose, including many sites listed in Vicki Tobias’s recent Feminist Collections article.1 In preparation for writing the assignment, the class discussed the suppression and dismissal of women’s writing.2 We looked at zines such as Bitch, BUST, HUES, and Hip Mama as contemporary strategies for overcoming the silencing of feminist voices, and watched Kara Herold’s film Grrly Show3 for its discussion of zine culture and the “do-it-yourself” ethic. The class applied these concepts to the context in which blogs are produced and speculated on the positive democratic potential of the Internet as well as the relative absence of women in computer science and technology as a potentially negative factor. In their essays, students reported being impressed by the amount of research/reading that most blog authors put into their posts. Most students wrote about the recurrent themes of reproductive rights, gender equality, sexuality, and popular culture. Some students observed the feminist practice of authors intertwining their political observations and their personal lives (particularly concerning motherhood). Students also remarked on the way in which many blogs were intertextual, and they compared and contrasted the feminist strategies of collaborative blogs and personal blogs. As a class we discussed the issue of anonymity and the authors’ motivations (harassment, jeopardizing of jobs) for remaining unnamed. In addition to observing the content, students also noted such stylistic elements as the design, the use of graphics, the tone of the posts, the in/formality of the language, and the use of humor. Generally students believed the use of wit was engaging and a positive counteractive to media representations of feminists as humorless.

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 15 Blogging Round-Up

While their definitions of feminism differed, students consistently described blogs as platforms from which feminist voices can raise awareness and speak against the absent and/or negative representations of women and feminists in other media. In the future I plan to revise the premise of this assignment to require students to reflect more on the feminist voices they did not seem to hear: non-U.S. women; women of color; working-class women; and non-heterosexual women.

Notes

1. Vicki Tobias, “Blog This! An Introduction to Blogs, Blogging, and the Feminist Blogosphere,” Feminist Collections v.26 nos.2–3 (Winter–Spring 2005), pp.11–17; online at http:// www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/WomensStudies/fc/fcblogs1.htm

2. See Joanna Russ, How to Suppress Women’s Writing (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1983); and Sandra Gilbert & Susan Gubar, The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth Century Literary Imagination (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1984).

3. Grrlyshow: 18 mins. color. 2000. Filmmaker: Kara Herold. Distr.: Women Make Movies, 462 Broadway, New York, NY 10013; phone: (212) 925-0606; fax: (212) 925-2052; email: [email protected]; website: http://www.wmm.com.

[Mary Thompson is an assistant professor of American and women’s literature in the English Department at James Madison University, where she also teaches women’s studies courses.]

TO JOIN THE FEMINIST BLOGOSPHERE, CLICK HERE!

by Natalie Jolly

Blogging in the women’s studies classroom opens up new pedagogical possibilities and offers unconventional ways of teaching and learning about feminism. I have infused my women’s studies classes with a variety of blogs, message boards, and other web technologies in innovative ways. Moving all or part of the class discussion to an online format allows students the luxury of considering their responses before engaging in the conversation. In my classes, this has resulted in a richer, more nuanced discussion that is — surprisingly — often more respectful and responsive than the face-to-face exchanges. In particular, online dialogues have helped defuse the tensions that can often attend “controversial” topics such as abortion and welfare, and students are much more able to value the differences of opinion that can occasionally derail an in-class conversation. Encouraging students to participate in a class blog also allows quiet students who dread mandated face-to-face participation to contribute in a more comfortable environment. After weeks of silence, students often surprise both their peers and me with their insight and eloquence on the web. In addition, blogs make evaluating course participation more transparent — students can be assessed based on the contributions they make to the conversation, the ways in which they support their positions, and their ability to make connections to other course material. As we all continue to search for ways to open our courses to a variety of different learners, blogs seem to offer a format that truly supports this diversity.

Page 16 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Blogging Round-Up

Most importantly, I believe that by using blogs, message boards, or any other Web-based component in our courses, we are teaching our students that feminism (as a movement, a theory, and a practice) is thriving in the digital age. Gaining familiarity with new technologies is an imperative for students, and in many ways their connection to feminism depends on our ability to integrate it into their (increasingly) virtual realities. In one assignment, my students contact local pharmacies to see whether prescriptions for the morning-after pill can be filled there, and then blog their findings on our class website. Our local chapter of Planned Parenthood is now using the data that students have collected to make recommendations to their clients — one small way that Web technologies can be used to connect individual action with the larger project of feminist activism and teach all of us about the power of grassroots (or “netroots”) mobilization. The possibilities for marrying feminist pedagogical strategies with the Web are limited only by our willingness to embark upon the sometimes daunting task of navigating new technologies. The boundaries continue to recede as more classes move beyond their brick-and-mortar walls and enter cyberspace. The next generation of feminists will undoubtedly be virtual — let’s give them the tools they need to make the next wave of feminism digital.

[Natalie Jolly is a doctoral candidate at the Pennsylvania State University in the Departments of Women’s Studies and Rural Sociology. She has recently developed an entirely blog-centric women’s studies course using open-source software and is teaching it with wild abandon.]

THE PERSONAL CAN BE FEMINIST: BLOGS IN A WRITING COURSE

by Caroline J. Smith

In the themed, first-year writing course that I teach at George Washington University, peer review is often a requirement for each writing assignment. I frequently pair the students in one section with the students in another section in the hope that being unfamiliar with the writer of a paper will foster more objective and, ideally, more constructive feedback. Frequently, when I make these assignments, I hear students whisper to one another, “Do you know so-and-so from her morning section?” And, even more frequently, the reply is, “No. Why don’t you look them up on Facebook?” Students’ preoccupation with sites such as Facebook and MySpace, which encourage users to become what Emily Nussbaum in her article “My So-Called Blog” deemed “compulsive self- chroniclers,” provide an easy entryway into the not-so-far-removed world of blogging.1 Though many students do not keep individual blogs, they immediately connect with blogging since they themselves often update their Facebook or MySpace profiles, photos, and comments on a daily basis. Although blogs can provide students with examples of (in)effective argumentation in the writing classroom, they can be an even more useful teaching tool in the feminist classroom. Examining personal blogs written by women opens up discussion about the genre of personal writing — a form that has long been associated with women writers. Blogs, then, can become an effective way to contextualize the struggles of women writers, prompting an examination of how personal writing has been consistently devalued and exposing the challenge that many women writers face in having their voices heard.

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 17 Blogging Round-Up

This semester, I began using blogs in my composition class to teach the personal narrative, my final writing assignment of the semester. I had students construct their own blogs under pseudonyms, using such sites as Blogger, LiveJournal, and Xanga. They then responded to a series of writing prompts, recording their own personal observations and commenting on the work of their classmates. The blogs became the raw material from which they produced a polished, finite personal narrative. Currently, I am adapting this assignment for a course I will be teaching next spring, entitled “‘I Am Me’: Writing about Women’s Autobiographies.” In this course, we will interrogate the term autobiography, looking at more traditional autobiographies alongside diaries, confessional poetry, songs, documentaries, and blogs. In addition to reading blogs kept by fictional autobiographers like Jennifer Weiner and Alisa Valdes- Rodriguez, students will track the personal blog of their choice, using Vicki Tobias’s article, “Blog This! An Introduction to Blogs, Blogging, and the Feminist Blogosphere,” to familiarize themselves with such personal blogs as Brutal Women and Gender Geek.2 As with my other course, students will create their own blogs, recording their observations about class readings. Blogs, then, in this context, will not only teach students about the genre of autobiography, but will also serve as models for their own writing, showing how personal writing can be an effective means of public — and often feminist — communication.

Notes

1. Emily Nussbaum, “My So-Called Blog,” New York Times Magazine, Jan. 11, 2004, 6.1, p.33.

2. Vicki Tobias, “Blog This! An Introduction to Blogs, Blogging, and the Feminist Blogosphere,” Feminist Collections v.26 nos.2–3 (Winter–Spring 2005), pp.11–17; online at http:// www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/WomensStudies/fc/fcblogs1.htm

[Caroline J. Smith is an assistant professor of writing at George Washington University.]

THE STUDY-ABROAD CLASS BLOG: CHRONICLING STUDENTS’ EXPERIENCES AND INDIAN FEMINISTS’ EFFORTS

by Carolyn Bitzer

During Winter Session 2006, ten female University of Delaware students chronicled their daily study-abroad activities in India through a course blog. Their blog posts, from the first University of Delaware’s Women’s Studies program to South Asia, revealed the students’ personal and collective transformations and also crystallized numerous Indian feminists’ perspectives on diverse women’s issues. Blogging helped capture the students’ experiences, observations, and emotions, which might remain otherwise private, lost, or unexplored. Three students wrote the following excerpts in the class blog:

I also began to see that women who were completely covered in their burqas were standing next to men in western clothes. Or even more interesting, women in burqas who were wearing stilettos.

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Our whole trip so far has been visiting feminist organizations and seeing their impact on women.

My previous thought processes were childlike.

The first part of this trip has opened my eyes so much that I don’t know if they can get any wider!

I asked the women what they had learned from their experiences, hoping to understand how HIV had shaped them.

The class blog archived the intensive, seven-credit, three-course, month-long program. The blog guidelines stated that students should reflect on their raw personal journal entries, read the other blog posts, consider the audience, write about one page, and post one day each week. Blog topics varied from India’s history, the exoticized East, human rights, sexualities, caste, feminist filmmakers, sari shopping, mehendi, and toilet paper to rural livelihoods. To maximize cybersafety, blog access was restricted to enrolled students, and entries were emailed to a carefully limited and selected list of family and friends. The emails allowed about a hundred readers to travel vicariously along as events unfolded thousands of miles away. The group assumed full responsibility for managing the website, posts, and emails. The blog project achieved many of the desired objectives in a women’s studies classroom: amplifying the students’ voices, highlighting India’s diversity and Indian feminist efforts, and providing collaborative opportunities and raising gender awareness to those on the email list. Also, students now have not only a record of their experiences, but also multiple reflections and summaries. In the future, the blog project will be strengthened by including pre-departure discussions of privilege, gaze, gender, and intersections of difference.

[Carolyn Bitzer is an adjunct women’s studies instructor at the University of Delaware.]

BLOGGING AS A CAPSTONE AND CONTINUING PROJECT

by Samantha A. Morgan-Curtis

Tennessee State University’s interdisciplinary minor in women’s studies was formally launched in January 2005. Thus, in September 2005, when graduating senior Cassondra Vick said to me, “I don’t want to do the same type of project that I’ve done for you before” as we sat discussing her capstone project for our minor, I gamely replied, “What did you have in mind?” Cassondra, a top student who had previously completed a sophisticated Web page for my “Jane Austen, Film, and Culture” course, had taken several other courses with me, so I knew the exceptional nature of her intellectual and technical skills. Cassondra’s brainstorm included taking her feminist discussion and analysis of adolescent literature and creating it as a weblog, or blog. Cassondra was to be only our third graduate with the minor, which requires a capstone project that brings the lenses of women’s studies to bear on some issue within the student’s major program. Cassondra, an English major,

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 19 Blogging Round-Up

wanted to look at literary texts that had been significant in her childhood, so she turned to L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series. Since neither of us knew much about “blogging,” our learning curve was steep. Cassondra created http://sunnysspace.4t.com/wmstblog.html as part of her overall project. However, she still gave me written reports and did other, “more traditional” writing for me and spoke to our upper division adolescent literature course about her project to fulfill her course requirement. Thus, I evaluated her overall project with the blog functioning as merely more written material instead of as a separate medium that required its own criteria. Though I felt I was not pushing Cassondra enough on the digital aspect, we were both learning. In the spring of 2006, Laurel Kilbourn began her capstone project, initially researching and analyzing the origins and effects of patriarchy on theology. After a campus visit from Dr. Sheila Radford- Hill, who spoke about starting a new wave of activism in feminism, Laurel came to me with a new plan: to begin a grassroots organization devoted to promoting discussion of and educating people about women’s issues. I recommended she create a blog to facilitate her dream of activism in a truly twenty- first-century forum. With the collaboration of a technologically savvy friend, Laurel launched http:// www.womentalking.org/. For this project, Laurel still produced some “standard” written assessments and submitted some other reflective writing, but eighty percent of her work was loaded onto the blog, her central forum. More importantly, this blog began as a “school” project, but Laurel is committed to continuing and growing it. I evaluated Laurel’s work as both affective and effective scholarship with a world-wide purpose and as an ultimate example of what a university course is supposed to do: take the student beyond the classroom and into the “real world.” In the spring and summer of 2006, we will continue our use of the new technologies as I load MP3 files created from projects in my “Introduction to Women’s Studies course” onto our Web page. Thus, the voices of even more of our students can share what they have learned with the world and start folks talking.

[Samantha A. Morgan-Curtis is an assistant professor of English and women’s studies at Tennessee State University.]

BLOGS, WIKIS, E-ZINES, AND WOMEN’S HERSTORY

by Jennifer Nelson

The final project for my “Third Wave Feminism” class, one of the core courses in the Women’s Studies curriculum at University of Redlands, was a feminist zine. During the semester we looked at feminist zines, particularly e-zines online, and discussed this popular method for the dissemination of feminist thought. One of the differences between the “Third” and “Second” waves of feminism (I continue to use these terms, although I understand they are both contested and problematic) is the increasing use of computer technology as a political organizing tool. The Internet is something that young people use with abandon. Given their facility with technological innovation, I suspected that

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students would really like to post their zines and make them interactive — one of the terrific benefits of Internet technology. Indeed, the students were enthusiastic about creating their e-zines. They could decide whether they wanted to create a group blog or an individual one. I decided to have students use the blog format (see http://www.blogger.com) for their online magazines because it was not only interactive — allowing them to post articles (both their original work and published articles), stories, pictures, and website links that other students could comment on — but also allowed them to document their work over time. In order to take advantage of both of these facets of the blog, students were asked to post content (articles, stories, pictures, etc.) over the course of the semester. All students in the class were also required to visit other sites and comment on what was posted. Most students posted new material every week or so, and everyone visited each other’s sites regularly. As a result, students were able to have conversations about a variety of subjects that evolved out of the original posts. Topics that students focused on included birth control, sexual identity, “slut bashing” and the “double standard,” anarcha-feminism, Latinas and feminism, women and music, beauty standards, women and politics, and media representation of S&M relationships. The other advantage of the blog was that we could limit the readership of each student’s zine to people enrolled in our class. Given the controversial nature of some of the topics, I didn’t want outsiders to be able to sabotage these blogs. Students had a lot of fun with this project. They created online identities for themselves and continued to visit each other’s blogs through the finals period. I think the best comments resulted from the more personal posts. The blog dealing with women and politics was very content-heavy, focusing on facts and statistics about women in mainstream politics. Students were less able to get into a conversation about this particular topic, which makes me think that this tool works best when you are trying to facilitate interaction about topics that are not predominantly fact-based. A controversial issue that students can debate or weigh in on personally works best. Next semester I plan on using “wikis”1 in my “African American Women’s History” course. Students will be asked to choose group topics — for instance, women and slavery or women in the civil rights movement. They will then each identify a few people, places, terms, or historical events that relate to this topic and research them. Members of each group will be asked to review and edit each other’s work. (I’m hoping this process will be a clever way to get students doing peer reviews of each other’s writing.) They will also create links to each other’s pages. Through this process our class can build an online encyclopedia of people, places, events, and terms that are relevant to African American women’s history.

Note

1. “A wiki...is a type of website that allows users to easily add, remove, or otherwise edit and change some available content.... This ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for collaborative authoring.” See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki

[Jennifer Nelson, an assistant professor at the University of Redlands, has a Ph.D. in United States Women’s History.]

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 21 REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS IN THE BLOGOSPHERE: A REVIEW OF BLOGS

by Vicki Tobias

Reproductive rights have long been a hot topic among fem- Beyond Choice, the Blog: Alexander Sanger (http:// inist bloggers, but early 2006 brought a dramatic increase www.alexandersanger.com/index.html). Originated in in individual blogs and blog postings related to the subject. January 2004 by Alexander Sanger, grandson of Margaret The appointment of two conservative, “pro-life” justices to Sanger and current Chair of the International Planned Par- the Supreme Court; South Dakota’s ban on abortion and enthood Council, this active blog presents monthly posts Mississippi’s preparation to pass similar legislation; and by Mr. Sanger, discussing such issues as recent South Dako- controversy surrounding Plan B “emergency” contraception ta legislation to ban abortion, tributes to Coretta Scott and its public availability have infused into the blogosphere King and Betty Friedan, and Justice Sam Alito’s position a new energy and urgency to speak out and take action. related to reproductive rights. The blog presents an archive The following is a sample and review of blogs that focus of past posts but no option for commenting on posts. exclusively on the issue of reproductive rights. There are links to related websites, but no blogroll of related blogs. This blog is associated with Sanger’s recently pub- Abortionclinicdays (http://abortionclinicdays.blogs.com/) lished book, Beyond Choice. is a personal blog maintained by two anonymous abortion service providers who are “committed to offering the very Bush vs. Choice (http://www.bushvchoice.com/) is a pro- best experience for women who turn to us for help” and choice, anti-Bush blog that provides active discussion on “want to speak openly, honestly, and from the heart about current reproductive rights issues. Regular contributors in- what we know about abortion today.” Discussion topics clude National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) include abortion politics, women’s lives and counseling, staff. This highly active, opinion- and fact-based blog, reproductive health, and reproductive law and public poli- which originated in July 2004, presents several new posts cy. This active opinion-based blog originated in May 2005. each week, with comments. Bush vs. Choice offers a search Several posts each month are related to reproductive issues, function, subject lists, a blogroll, and links to related web- with multiple follow-up comments to the posts. Abortion- sites. It also allows users to subscribe to an RSS feed and clinicdays has neither a search function nor a “blogroll” of syndicate the site using XML. Content includes political related blogs or websites. As with most blogs, it maintains and legislative news and updates on legislation currently an archive of past posts. It also offers users the option of being considered at both the state and national levels. subscribing to an RSS feed. LiveJournal for Choice (http:// ACLU: Take Issue, Take Charge! (http:// community.livejournal.com/ljforchoice/) is a personal www.takeissuetakecharge.org/blog/) is an issue- and ac- and opinion-based blog that exists as “a collective to share tion-oriented blog affiliated with the ACLU and, thus, pre- information, educate, support, and take action to protect a sents the ACLU’s agenda related to reproductive rights. Its woman’s right to choose.” This highly active blog, which mission statement best summarizes the blog content: “Life, originated in January 2001, presents multiple daily posts, liberty, and reproductive freedom. In recent years, we have many with references to external news items and other blog witnessed an unprecedented attack on civil liberties with posts. LiveJournal for Choice offers an archive of past posts reproductive rights as a prime target. It is time to push and links to related sites, but does not include a blogroll or back.” It is an active blog offering several posts each month a site search function. Recent postings discuss contracep- with comments. ACLU: Take Issue, Take Charge! includes tion options, the pro-choice movement, Planned Parent- news items, local stories, lists of related information, and hood clinics, pharmacies and contraception availability, and fact sheets. There is neither a search function nor an archive impending legislation to ban abortion in Mississippi. of past posts, and not all postings allow for user comments.

Page 22 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Reproductive Rights Blogs

Now What? (http://www.saveroe.com/blog/index.php) is blog originated in September 2003 and offers XML syndi- a highly active blog associated with Planned Parenthood cation and Podcast options, an archive of past posts, subject Federation of America and SaveRoe.com, and presents in- lists, and links to blogs and websites that focus on science formative and current discussions focused on all issues re- and medicine, feminism, and women’s health issues. The lated to Roe v. Wade, reproductive rights, contraception, Well-Timed Period presents specific information about vari- and other women’s health issues. Now What? originated in ous birth control methods, rebates and patient assistance, January 2004 and presents several new posts each day. Us- OB/GYN resources and journals, and a link to an Emer- ers can subscribe to an RSS feed. There is no search func- gency Contraception website. There is no obvious indica- tion. Recent postings discuss efforts to repeal South Dako- tion of affiliation or author/editor identity. ta’s ban on abortion, access to abortion, and Plan B emergency contraception and particular U.S. pharmacies’ Women’s Autonomy and Sexual Sovereignty Movements refusal to supply these drugs. (http://the-goddess.org/wam/blog.html) declares “A New Frame for the New Millenium…It isn’t really a question of

Want to keep up with all this, but don’t have time to read nine different reproductive-rights blogs every day? Vicki suggests subscribing to RSS feeds from at least these two:

Bush vs. Choice (http://bushvchoice.blogs.com/) Now What? (http://www.saveroe.com/blog/index.php)

Reproductive Rights Blog (http://cara.typepad.com/ whether a woman can have an abortion. It’s a question of reproductive_rights_blog/) offers intellectual discussions whether women are people. We claim the personal and sex- of abortion issues in North America and Europe, contra- ual autonomy that men take for granted.” This active blog ception, Catholicism, and “Abstinence Only” policies. This presents monthly posts including personal perceptions and highly active, opinion-based blog originated in June 2005 references (or reposts) from other blogs related to conserva- and includes links to related organizations, a blogroll, an tive attitudes toward women and sex, Supreme Court Jus- archive of past posts, and a topics list. Recent postings dis- tice Sam Alito, and the anti-choice movement. It also offers cuss building Planned Parenthood clinics on Indian reserva- an RSS feed, a lengthy blogroll of related blogs, an archive tions in South Dakota, pending Michigan legislation re- of past posts, and a site search function. quiring abortion providers to offer pregnant women the option of viewing their ultrasound prior to pregnancy ter- [Vicki Tobias is a Digital Services Librarian for the University mination, pharmacy refusal legislation (related to Plan B of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center. She attended the Uni- contraception), and parental notification laws. versity of Washington–Seattle (B.A., Chinese, 1997) and the University of Wisconsin–Madison (M.A., Library and Infor- The Well-Timed Period: At the Intersection of Medical Fact mation Studies, 2003). Vicki maintains active interests in in- and Fiction (http://thewelltimedperiod.blogspot.com/) is formation technology and its application to libraries and in an informational blog devoted to disseminating detailed women’s issues. She is the author of “Blog This! An Introduc- and fact-based information related to contraception. Blog tion to Blogs, Blogging, and the Feminist Blogosphere,” which topics include birth control methods, book reviews, Plan B appeared in volume 26, numbers 2–3 (Winter–Spring 2005), contraception in Canada, and the HPV virus. This active of Feminist Collections.]

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 23 NEW REFERENCE WORKS IN WOMEN’S STUDIES

Reviewed by Phyllis Holman Weisbard, with one by Dineen Grow

BIOGRAPHY The first biography in the book, tion. A year-by-year chart in the Ap- however, is that of Alfred Nobel. pendix also provides helpful identifiers Anita Price Davis and Marla J. While his life is certainly interesting for the awards, such as “opposition Selvidge, WOMEN NOBEL PEACE and the account of how he met Bertha leader, human rights advocate” for PRIZE WINNERS. Jefferson, NC: von Suttner (she worked for him brief- Aung San Suu Kyi and “campaigner McFarland, 2006. 216p. photos. in- ly) and of their ongoing friendship is for human rights, especially for indige- dex. $35.00, ISBN 0-7864-2399-4. relevant to understanding the origin of nous peoples” for Rigoberta Menchú the Peace Prize, that information is Tum. Twelve women have received No- repeated in the von Suttner chapter, The authors are quite conscien- bel Peace Prizes since the award’s in- including the same quotation from her tious in documenting statements as ception in 1901. The first was Austri- Memoirs. In a book on women Nobel well as direct quotations by and about an Baroness Bertha Sophie Felicita von Peace Prize winners, it seems out of the honorees. Readers will therefore be Suttner in 1905, who some say should place to devote as long a chapter to able to use Women Nobel Peace Prize have received the very first Nobel, Nobel’s life as to any of the recipients. Winners as a starting point for further both for her peace writings and activ- The chapters follow a rather chro- research on the women. ism and because she was a friend of nological approach internally. This is Alfred Nobel’s and encouraged him to good from the standpoint of learning set up the prizes. No woman won about all the endeavors of the prize Darlene Clark Hine, BLACK WOM- again until 1931, when Jane Addams winners as well as how they developed EN IN AMERICA, 2nd ed. New York: was so honored for her founding lead- into peace advocates. However, be- Oxford University Press, 2005. 3v. il- ership in 1915, in the midst of war- cause most of them had many roles lus. bibl. index. $325.00, ISBN 978- time, of what became the Women’s and interests over their lifetimes, it 0-19-515677-5. International League for Peace and takes some time for the reader to tease Freedom and for her advocacy of paci- out what activities specifically contrib- This is a revised edition of Black fism — even during World War I. uted to their winning the prize. The Women in America: An Historical Ency- Jane’s colleague in WILPF, Emily book would perhaps have worked bet- clopedia, which was first issued in two Greene Balch, was the next woman to ter as a reference tool had the authors volumes (1530p.) by Carlson Press in win, in 1946. It took another thirty stated at the beginning of each chapter 1993. The first edition was a major years before another woman won, and the reasons the person was honored achievement, yet Hine knew at the this time two women from Northern with the Peace Prize, then gone back time that there were many worthy Ireland shared the prize as co-founders and surveyed her biography. The au- women and topics for which there of the Community of Peace People. thors do head each chapter with an were insufficient sources or awareness Thereafter, no decade has been with- apt phrase that sometimes helps in this at that time. In the introductory mate- out a female Peace Nobelist, and in regard. Jody Williams is designated as rial for that edition, she wrote: “Re- fact the 1990s saw three, and the an “advocate for the banning and search on Black women over the last present decade has already had two. clearing of anti-personnel mines,” but several decades has grown exponential- There is a biographical chapter for Alva Myrdal’s “diplomat, teacher, writ- ly, and we hope and expect that it will each of the twelve. er, pioneer feminist, peace advocate, continue to grow at this rate. We plan wife, mother” goes in the other direc- to keep up with the latest research by publishing supplemental editions of Black Women in America on a regular

Page 24 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) New Reference Works

basis” (p.xxiv). Twelve years later she individuals no longer in the Encyclope- man and can do as much work as any reports that “historians and writers in dia. Users should also be steered to the man...” (v.3, p.259, as found in So- diverse genres have produced scores of three volumes of Notable Black Ameri- journer Truth, A Life, A Symbol, illuminating books that explore the can Women, edited by Jessie Carney pp.125–126). Painter tightens her dis- lives and experiences of Black women. Smith (Thompson Gale, 1991–2003), cussion of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s role These works...filled many of the voids which together cover 1,100 lives (see in establishing Truth as a “Christian of identified by contributors to the first separate review). exquisite faith, in accordance with edition...The encyclopedia brings to- Among the new topical entries are nineteenth century evangelical sensi- gether a vast amount of new knowl- Children’s Literature, Children’s Wel- bilities,” a viewpoint that carried until edge that effectively demonstrates the fare/Children’s Rights, Frontier West the end of that century, and better centrality of black women to Ameri- Women, Antebellum, Frontier West identifies Olive Gilbert, who wrote can society, economy, and culture and Women, Post Civil War, Garvey down Truth’s autobiography, pub- underscores the critical role they Movement Women, Ghettoization in lished in 1850 as The Narrative of So- played in the survival and transforma- the North, Incarcerated Women, journer Truth, as someone who, like tion of their communities” (p.xv). Olympic Games and Participation in Truth, lived in the utopian Northamp- There are quite a few changes in Amateur Sports, Oral Histories, Phi- ton Association. Delores P. Aldridge, a the new edition. There are more topi- lanthropy, Quilting, Reproductive former president of the National cal entries (about 280 compared to Rights, and Revolutionary War. Council for Black Studies, contributed 163), and somewhat more illustrations Where one entry sufficed for Journal- an entry on Black Studies in the first (500, up from 450). The number of ism in the 1993 edition, now there are edition, in which she discussed the full biographical entries has been re- three: Broadcast, Early, and Modern. role of Black women students and fac- duced from 641 to about 325, with Civil War and Reconstruction has ulty and the inclusion of sexism as a many of the others being described been split into two separate entries, topic in Black Studies/Africana cours- more briefly in collective “special fea- plus there’s a new one on Civil War es. Now her entry is on Black Women’s tures” inserts on people associated Pension Records. Studies, and in addition to covering with a topic. This is dramatically ap- Entries have also been revised to the information provided in the earlier parent in examining the “actresses” reflect the new scholarship. Nell Irvin entry, she now lists six challenges or category in the first edition (now Painter contributed the entry on So- opportunities in integrating Black called “actors” in the second). The first journer Truth to both editions, and in women/women’s studies into Africana edition included 38 of them; the sec- the years between editions published Studies. Similarly, what was “Catholic ond, 20, of whom 6 are new to the her own biography of Truth (Sojourner Church” in the first edition is now encyclopedia (Pamela Grier, Phylicia Truth, A Life, A Symbol, Norton, represented by two entries: Black Rashad, Esther Rolle, Wilma Glodean 1996). In the new edition Painter em- Catholic Women and Black Catholic Rudolph, Anna Deavere Smith, and phasizes that Frances Dana Gage, a Women Religious; and what was Alfre Woodard). Several of the remain- white feminist journalist, invented the “Black Panther Party” is now Black der, such as Butterfly McQueen and “and ar’n’t I a woman?” phrase, and Panther Women. Madame Sul-te-Wan, are now in a spe- instead of quoting from the Gage ver- Once again, Hine and her con- cial feature on early film actors, and sion in dialect of Truth’s 1851 Akron, tributors have created a resource of others are mentioned in context (ex: Ohio speech, first published in 1863, enormous import in understanding Osceola Archer in the Theater entry), Painter now quotes from the notes both the history of Black women in retrievable through the index. There is taken by Marius Robinson, secretary the United States and the state of nothing wrong with this shift; and, in of the May 1851 meeting, and pub- scholarship in recovering and inter- fact, weighting the Encyclopedia with lished in the Antislavery Bugle just one preting that history. contextual essays over biographical is a month later. Robinson’s notes are in good idea for an academic reference standard English: “I am a woman’s work of this type. I point it out main- rights. I have as much muscle as any ly to recommend that libraries retain the first edition alongside the second for users looking for biographies of

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 25 New Reference Works

Jessie Carney Smith, ed., NOTABLE Congresswoman Cynthia McKin- yourself as best as possible, and BLACK AMERICAN WOMEN, ney, a figure in the news of late (4) be persistent” (p.151). Book III. New York: Thomson Gale, due to her altercation with a Serena and Venus Williams, the 2003. 881p. photos. index. $145.00, House entrance guard who did amazing tennis pro sisters, who ISBN 0-7876-6494-4. not recognize her and challenged are the youngest women in Book her when she walked around the III. This is the third in a series that screening device Congress mem- Lucille C. Thomas, librarian at began in 1992 of excellent biographi- bers are allowed to bypass. Some the Brooklyn Public Library and cal dictionaries of prominent historical of the unfavorable publicity might for the New York City Board of and contemporary African American have been mitigated had the press Education, and active leader of women. For each volume, women read the entry by Randall Frost, the New York Librarians Associa- were eligible for inclusion if they met who catalogs the numerous times tion (NYLA). Contributor Kari one or more of the following criteria: she has been challenged in the Bethel quotes Thomas’s accep- pioneer in a particular endeavor, im- House and White House. tance speech when she became portant entrepreneur, leading busi- Ruth Simmons, a daughter of president of the NYLA in 1978, nesswoman, literary or creative figure sharecroppers and great-grand- as published in American Librar- of stature, leader of social or human child of slaves, who is the current ies: “We, as librarians, must re- justice, major governmental or organi- president of Brown University and member that we are a force in so- zational official, or distinguished former president of Smith Col- ciety, a group possessing power scholar or educator. In the second vol- lege. and influence of unique scope and ume, in many cases women’s names Frances Jane Scroggins Brown potential. We shall not be beggars surfaced from research published since (1819–1917), who with her hus- in our communities, but rather the prior volume. In the current vol- band operated a station of the un- master builders and creators in ume, editor Carney Smith thanks derground railroad in Pennsylva- our own right” (p.578). Librarians those who published “biographical nia, and who, although illiterate twenty-eight years later would like accounts of obscure women on the herself, made sure all her children to think we have some of that Internet so that more readers might had an education. One of her power and influence still. know their work” (Introduction). As daughters was a founder of the the number of notables has mush- National Association of Colored What seems to me best for the roomed from an original 500 in Book Women. future of NBAW is for the three (or I to a total of 1100 in Books I through Bebe Moore Campbell, acclaimed perhaps by then four?) volumes to be III, the need for specialized, cumula- journalist and novelist — the only published as an online product. This tive indexing to all three volumes has surprise here is that it took until would not only be more acceptable to grown, too. Wisely, Book III offers Book III for her to be included. student users, but would also allow for cumulative occupational, geographic, Christine Mann Darden, an aero- updating entries in the earlier volumes and subject indexes. With increased space engineer and mathematician to reflect new scholarship on historical attention to the histories of states and with a long career at NASA work- figures alongside new accomplish- regions (not to mention email requests ing on sonic booms and more re- ments of contemporary notables. from schoolchildren working on Afri- cently in administration. Janet can American women’s history in their Stamatel bases some of her entry state), the geographic index is a partic- about Darden on an interview Francis E. Willard and Mary A. Liver- ular boon. (Book I had no geographic with her, and makes good use of more, eds., GREAT AMERICAN index, and II’s only indexed the wom- statements from Darden, includ- WOMEN OF THE NINETEENTH en in that volume.) ing her secret to success: “P to the CENTURY: A BIOGRAPHICAL EN- Here are some of the interesting fourth power,” which stands for CYCLOPEDIA. Amherst, NY: Hu- women in Book III: “(1) perceive yourself in a job, (2) manity Books, 2005. 834p. illus. in- plan how to get there, (3) prepare dex. $99.00, ISBN 1-59102-211-8.

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People familiar with nineteenth- teenth century, and how they’ve both of middle-class white women and century sources on American women’s sunk into relative obscurity. That may overwhelmingly Protestant. They also history will recognize this book from be slightly different for Wisconsin note subtle digs at marriage as inhibit- the names of the editors as a reprint of readers, with respect to Willard. Al- ing wives in their activism and person- a work originally published in the though born in New York State, this al talents, and remark on the uneven- 1890s. Each time it’s been issued, in- educator, suffragist, reformer, and ness of the entries, as evidence of their cluding this time, the title has been leader of the Woman’s Christian Tem- authenticity and “woman’s eye for the changed slightly. It began as A Woman perance Union was raised near Janes- details of a life” (p.16). My only prob- of the Century: Fourteen Hundred Sev- ville and attended the Milwaukee lem with the introduction is that with enty Biographical Sketches Accompanied Seminary. Frances (the spelling more all these interesting themes to explore, by Portraits of Leading American Wom- frequently used today for her name) is I wish it were longer. While many his- en in All Walks of Life (1893). By therefore claimed as a daughter of the torians cite the Willard and Livermore 1897, the title lengthened to American state, appearing in virtually all works volume, a search of various databases Women: Fifteen Hundred Biographies about Wisconsin women in history. turned up no other sustained analysis With Over 1400 Portraits: A Compre- Livermore, too, was a suffrage spokes- along these lines of the book as a hensive Encyclopedia of the Lives and person and temperance leader, as well whole. Achievements of American Women Dur- as a journal editor. But how much ei- The classified index of endeavors ing the Nineteenth Century, “newly re- ther Willard or Livermore actually had is weighted toward literary contribu- vised, with the addition of a classified to do with editing the book is still a tors (248), authors (178), temperance index; also many new biographies and bit of a mystery, as are the identities of workers (122), educators (99), physi- recent portraits...” According to a note the participants in the “corps of able cians (78) and philanthropists (73). in an OCLC/Worldcat record, there contributors” who actually wrote the Looking at the other end of the spec- was also a 1901 edition called Portraits entries. (The introduction by Leslie trum is equally instructive. There are and Biographies of Prominent American Shepard to the 1967 reprint of the two orchestra conductors, librarians, Women, although there are no OCLC 1893 edition does not question that telegraph operators, violinists, histori- library holdings for that edition. In Willard and Livermore were the actual ans, peace advocates, horticulturists, the 1960s and 1970s, the 1893 edi- editors.) According to Lengermann kindergartners (?), dress reformers, tion was reprinted by two publishers and Niebrugge-Brantley, neither Wil- dramatists, designers, brokers, archae- and microfilmed by two others, and lard nor Livermore claimed public ologists, architects, Christian Scientists the 1897 edition was reprinted once. credit for the volume; perhaps mostly (leaders), and Delsartean1 instructors, With all of these opportunities to ac- they lent their names to the endeavor, and only one photographer, military quire the work, hundreds of libraries though the “corps” provide clues that genius (!), spelling reformer, wood- already have at least one edition, and they were people who shared Willard carver, train dispatcher, social econo- they may not need to purchase this and Livermore’s social activism. Leng- mist, pharmacist, literary secretary, one. However, for those libraries that ermann and Niebrugge-Brantley quote dairy farmer, decorator, ethnologist, have none of them, only hold a micro- the statement of purpose from the astronomer, banker, bee keeper, sani- film edition, or find that their hun- 1893 edition: “This book...aims to tary chemist, harpist, and dentist. The dred-year-old text is wearing out, this show what women have done in the photographs are worthy of study in is a must acquisition. humbler as in the higher walks of life. and of themselves. Most of the women The current edition has a very in- It is a record of American women are in their prime and wear the high- teresting thirteen-page introduction, offered...to the consideration of those necked collars and swept-high ringlet in which sociologists Patricia Lenger- who would know what the nineteenth hairdos of their time. Many are very mann and Jill Niebrugge-Brantley dis- century of Christian civilization has stern or serious, but some let a smile cuss the authorship, purpose, content, here brought forth...” They agree that creep up on the corners of their and historical context of the work and the manifest content of the volume mouths. assess its usefulness today. They start supports the original aim. However, When reading through the biogra- with authorship, first by describing they also analyze its latent content, phies, Lengermann and Niebrugge- who Willard and Livermore were, how finding the biographies to be entirely influential they both were in the nine-

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Brantley enjoyed the serendipitous ing and singing teacher who formulat- were not considered to be nuggets about nineteenth-century ed rules for coordinating voice and “history” because they lacked women’s lives; some they found so in- gestures. Entry is online at http:// either the accepted formal timate as to suggest that those entries www.bartleby.com/65/de/ qualities or the appropriate were submitted by women about Delsarte.html subject matter. themselves. I found such a sketch Women...wrote about wom- quite readily as well. I looked up one en’s lives and the immediate of the Delsartean instructors, Mrs. HISTORICAL WRITINGS and local societies in which Emily Mulkin Bishop, but first read, they lived. The[y] frequently by mistake, the subsequent entry Mary Spongberg, Ann Curthoys, & wrote their own histories, ver- about Mrs. Mary Agnes Dalrymple Barbara Caine, eds., COMPANION sions of events or analyses of Bishop. This Mrs. Bishop was a jour- TO WOMEN’S HISTORICAL what women had done in re- nalist and newspaper editor. In dis- WRITING. New York: Palgrave Mac- action to work by men that cussing her childhood writings, we millan, 2005. 712p. bibl. index. distorted, obscured or vilified learn that “[i]n local papers her child- $175.00, ISBN 978-1-4039-1508-5. women’s historical role... hood poems were printed readily, the [T]he Companion sets out to reading of Horace Greeley’s ‘Recollec- What do librarians do when first create a history of women’s tions of a Busy Life,’ in which he has examining a book they haven’t seen historical production in all its some good advice for youthful writers, before? They look at the Cataloging- myriad forms...to expand our caused her to determine not to be in-Publication data on the verso of the definitions of “History.” tempted to allow her doggerel to be title page to see what subject headings (p.xv). published, and for years she adhered and classification the Library of Con- to her determination” (p.105). Would gress gave it. The Companion got a The Library of Congress classification someone writing about someone else whopping eleven subject headings, system has no clear place for this ex- refer to that person’s early poems as starting with “English prose literature panded definition, and the cataloguer doggerel? I think not. On the other — Women authors — History and fell back on classification by genre. hand, the life of Mrs. Lelia P. Roby is criticism — Handbooks,” and, as is S/he did try to capture what is going summed up as: “She is a model home- customary, a classification matching on in the book in several of the other maker, a connoisseur in architecture the first heading, in PR for English headings. The second heading is al- and art, a fine linguist, thoroughly ed- literature. Indeed, many of the entries ready better than the first: “Literature ucated, and a well-read lawyer” (p. are for British women writers (Jane and history — English-speaking coun- 622). This does not sound like some- Austen, George Eliot, Beatrice Webb, tries — Handbooks, manuals, etc.” thing one would write about oneself. Virginia Woolf) and some of the liter- And other headings pick up the facets I recommend delving into Great ary genres they employed (biography historiography, women historians, and American Women of the Nineteenth and historical fiction). But the raison American and Commonwealth writ- Century or any of its prior editions. d’être of the Companion is much dif- ings. But the book will still sit on the You will be rewarded with fascinating ferent. It isn’t simply to provide ex- shelves with English literature. glimpses into the lives of educated, planatory material on British women’s The Companion contains more middle-class white women from over a writings — and not just because its than 150 signed entries in alphabetical century ago who made it into the geographic scope is greater (the Anglo- order. Besides biographical and genre work world or who cared about im- phone world, plus country essays on essays, there are several on women’s proving the world around them, and Italy, France and Japan). It is to focus contributions to particular countries, partially succeeded. on the ways women have written histo- on historical periods (Ancient History, ry. As the editors say in their Introduc- Archaeology and Classical Studies; Note tion, The Middle Ages, subdivided into en- 1. According to the Columbia Encyclo- tries on Medieval Women and Women pedia, 6th edition, Delsarte was an act- In many cases, even if these Medievalists; Renaissance, Reforma- writings were known, they tion, the Enlightenment; and Moder- nity), and numerous entries on themes

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significant to women’s writings, such il’s early life as a minister’s daughter, tries on well-known people. However, as family, religion, war, empire, femi- including the fact that this exception- it’s quite difficult to tease out informa- nism, nursing and medicine, prostitu- ally astute woman had no formal edu- tion from Wikipedia that is focused tion, revolution, and slavery. An essay cation — but (librarians take note!) on a topic and at the same time on on lesbian history demonstrates the she had full access to her father’s sub- gender and a historical time period. importance to lesbian identity of un- stantial personal library. Abigail and The superiority of a work like Women earthing lesbian history. Although the John began corresponding during their in Early America to Wikipedia is there- Companion is primarily set in the courtship and continued that practice fore much more apparent in its topical Western world, there is a wider essay whenever apart throughout their lives. entries. Following my read of the on Postcolonial Women Writers Mays discusses Abigail’s famous “Re- Abigail Adams entry, I thought about (which also covers African American member the Ladies” appeal, which is various aspects of her life and read the writings). quoted in context in a sidebar, but also entries for “Girlhood and Adoles- Companion to Women’s Historical Abigail’s general acceptance of the sep- cence,” “Childbirth,” and “Household Writing will be useful to students in arate sphere assigned to women in the Responsibilities” and the appendix on literature and history classes who want eighteenth century. When Abigail and “Household Chores Common to Early to better understand the historical wis- their children joined John in Europe, American Women.” As in the entry on dom embedded in women=s writings. she took advantage of the opportunity Adams, Mays provides both descrip- to expand her knowledge by visiting tion and analysis. In “Girlhood and museums, attending concerts, and Adolescence” she describes the gender- HISTORY hobnobbing with the elites (this is also specific nature of most chores expect- shown well in the documentary). On ed of children. Girls learned and per- Dorothy A. Mays, WOMEN IN EAR- the other hand, Mays points out how formed domestic tasks, while boys LY AMERICA: STRUGGLE, SUR- bothered Abigail was by the poverty of were taught to hunt, although they VIVAL, AND FREEDOM IN A the English masses and the wantonness had common leisure time activities. NEW WORLD. Santa Barbara, CA: of the wealthy, and how glad she was Girls’ experience diverged from boys ABC-CLIO, 2004. 495p. illus., bibl. to return to America. Mays also de- in another significant way. They left index. $95.00, ISBN 1-85109-429-6; votes a paragraph each to the years home earlier, boarded out to other e-book, $100.00, ISBN 1-85109-434- when John was Vice President (Abigail families in need of a hand with house- 2. mostly remained in Massachusetts), hold chores and child-rearing. Mays President (she joined him in Philadel- speculates on why sources from the Recently PBS aired John and Abig- phia and the new Capital, Washing- time period give little evidence of re- ail Adams in the “American Experi- ton), and retired. One of the pages of bellious activities or delinquency. She ence” series. Based on their volumi- this four-page entry is Abigail’s full- states that although the portraits from nous correspondence, the program page portrait, and the entry ends with the time period depict children as featured re-creations of their lives four suggestions for further reading miniature adults and the term “adoles- when separated for months or years (two citations to other reference cence” was not in use until much later, while John was away toiling on behalf works, a biographical monograph, and neither means that early Americans of the fledgling country, as well as pri- an academic article). The Abigail Ad- had no sense of childhood or the teen vate moments between the devoted ams entry is accurate, nicely illustrat- years as different from adulthood. She couple. Several scenes showed Abigail ed, and more analytical than her entry makes reference to “growing research working equally hard, engaged in in Wikipedia. attempting to document a youth sub- physically demanding domestic tasks, I raise the Wikipedia comparison culture in early America,” but strikes a running their farm, and raising their because so many high school and col- middle ground herself. children. These images were vivid in lege students who might otherwise “Childbirth” is an equally enlight- my mind when I received Women in turn to a reference book like this one ening summary of research by histori- Early America for review, and stayed — even an e-reference book — proba- ans of women’s history, including Ju- with me as I sampled its entries. Natu- bly go first to Wikipedia. And Wiki- dith Walzer Leavitt, Catherine M. rally, I first inspected the essay on pedia isn’t bad for straightforward en- Abigail herself. Mays goes over Abiga-

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Scholten, and Laura Thatcher Ulrich, yarn and thread, and fill and maintain bines a history of the terms “lesbian” in this case on the expectations on a mattress. and “lesbian literature” with a biblio- pregnant women to maintain their Women in Early America is highly graphic essay on lesbian identity and normal activities up to delivery, the recommended for school, public and literature. She credits Jeannette Foster, large number of pregnancies of an av- college libraries. at one time librarian of the Kinsey In- erage colonial woman, dangers at time stitute, as the “first great scholar of a of delivery, and lying-in customs. specifically lesbian literature,” for her In “Household Responsibilities,” LESBIAN LITERATURE forty years of work compiling infor- Mays provides an interesting contrast mation on “virtually every Western between the duties of rural and urban Meredith Miller, HISTORICAL DIC- European and North American source women. Rural women spent most of TIONARY OF LESBIAN LITERA- for the depiction of female gender de- their time producing food and cloth- TURE. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, viance or same-sex desire in literature,” ing for their families, while town 2006. (Historical dictionaries of litera- published as Sex Variant Women in Lit- women had markets available and also ture and the arts, no. 8). 239p. bibl. erature in 1956. The Dictionary’s entry opportunities to be involved in family $70.00, ISBN 0-8108-4941-0. on Foster further states that Foster de- businesses, but greater need than their fined both the scope of the field and a country sisters to maintain social stan- According to John J. Younger’s methodology for reading the litera- dards. Mays has an entertaining way frequently updated website, Lesbian, ture, categorized according to the of explaining the contrast to readers: Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, “evolution of the depiction of same- “An urban woman ate her dinner from Queer Studies in the USA and Canada sex love and transgender movement a ceramic plate, by the flickering can- (http://www.people.ku.edu/ among women” (p.68) at a time when dlelight. Most of the items on her ~jyounger/lgbtprogs.htm), five insti- such work was “barely conceivable” to plate would have been purchased at tutions now offer LGBTQ majors, and anyone but Foster. She sounds like the local marketplace. She would be depending on how one defines the someone who should become known sitting on a chair at a table that was programs, there are almost twenty oth- to all lesbian studies students. There used exclusively for dining. Her rural ers with minors and ten with certifi- hasn’t been much written about Foster cousin would have eaten off of a cates or concentrations, including the beyond passing references. GLBTLife wooden or pottery bowl, the same University of Wisconsin–Madison and database lists only two items about bowl she ate all her meals from. Her University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. her, including her obituary in Body light source would be the kitchen fire- Most of these are new programs. Politic in 1981 (Miller erroneously place. She would be sitting at a bench Those programs, and the numerous lists Foster’s death date as 1985). Mill- beside the family worktable, which campuses with GLBTQ courses but as er also discusses Terry Castle and her served a variety of functions. Her meal yet no program, should welcome ef- The Literature of Lesbianism (2003), would be simple, most likely a sim- forts such as the Historical Dictionary dedicated to Foster, numerous literary mered pork stew from a hog she had of Lesbian Literature to help students works, and the importance of lesbian raised herself” (p.183). This entry is understand the field. Women’s studies pulp fiction — what Joan Nestle calls also a good one for learning the types students will, of course, find this one “lesbian survival literature.” of sources historians use to make these useful, too. The Dictionary consists of entries judgments about life in colonial times, Meredith Miller’s aim in writing for authors (Djuna Barnes, Jewelle including cookbooks, household in- the Historical Dictionary of Lesbian Gomez, Audre Lorde, Amy Lowell, ventories, business records, and con- Literature is to provide touch points the ladies of Llangollen), works (The temporary accounts. The “Household for the development of the lesbian in Well of Loneliness,) feminisms (first Chores” appendix provides details on literature, as a starting point for fur- wave, second wave, lesbian), relevant how to churn butter, make cheese and ther research. She purposely does not literary genres (coming-out story, sen- cider, brew beer, make maple syrup, provide a concise definition of “lesbi- sation novels, Southern gothic, life- preserve meat, pickle vegetables, make an,” finding it presumptuous to be writing, horror, poetry), literatures soap and candles, do laundry, spin confined to contemporary usage, how- (Arabic, South Asian, Harlem Renais- ever broad. Her Introduction com- sance) and other concepts (identifica-

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tion, identity, censorship, homophile The Historical Dictionary of “resistance to, and elimination of, the movement, romantic friendship). The Feminist Philosophy covers subordination of women.” Feminist focus is on English-language material. both the central figures and philosophy, she says, strives to root Entries range from a few sentences ideas from the historical tra- out gender biases within philosophy (English essayist Bridg Brophy, Com- dition of philosophy and the and to use feminist perspectives and bahee River Collection) to more than central ideas and theories insights to reconstruct the discipline four pages (sexology). from contemporary feminist itself. Next she gives a historical over- Following the dictionary entries is philosophy. The latter areas view of the political philosophers of a bibliography divided into works cit- include topics that have their the feminist movement, starting with ed somewhere in the book, literary roots in critical reactions to, Mary Wollstonecraft and Harriet Tay- and historical criticism, philosophical and developments of, the lor Mill, up through Betty Friedan, and psychoanalytic theory, antholo- mainstream tradition, such as Simone de Beauvoir, and numerous gies, correspondence, and autobiogra- epistemology or the philoso- feminist theorists from the 1980s on- phies and author studies (subdivided phy of science; it also in- ward. Then Gardner turns to stages of by author) on significant writers. cludes topics that have been what she terms “the feminist philo- These are not exhaustive listings. For introduced into the philosophical project,” from feminist cri- example, she only lists two books sophical arena through the tique of the philosophical canon about Djuna Barnes, though there are feminist movement itself, through expansion of issues deemed of many others. Presumably those she such as abortion and sexuali- philosophical interest to include femi- lists relate more closely to her place in ty... [E]ntries related to feminist approaches to morality, the ethic lesbian literature. Miller also lists im- nist theory, and the feminist of care, sexuality, abortion, and other portant archives and special collections movement itself, have not topics. She comments on postmodern and scholarly journals. dominated the dictionary. feminism, which disrupts the catego- (p.xi) ries of sex, gender, and sexuality, and French feminism, which emphasizes PHILOSOPHY However, in response to an inqui- language and discourse about these ry I sent to the Cataloging Policy and concepts. Catherine Villanueva Gardner, HIS- Support Office of the Library of Con- The dictionary proper is arranged TORICAL DICTIONARY OF FEMI- gress, I was told that since not all au- alphabetically. Included are philoso- NIST PHILOSOPHY. Lanham, MD: thors observe a strict distinction be- phers (mostly female, some male) Scarecrow, 2006. (Historical dictionar- tween theory and philosophy, the whose works are in some sense femi- ies of religions, philosophies, and Library of Congress finds it impracti- nist or which have been the subject of movements, no. 64.) 275p.bibl. cal to try to make one. It is therefore feminist critiques. Both John Stuart $75.00, ISBN0-8108-5346-9. fortunate that “feminist philosophy” is Mill and Plato qualify under the in the title, as someone doing a key- former; Rene Descartes under the lat- Once again, I’m compelled to word search for this phrase in an on- ter. Among the women philosophers start a review with a critique not of line catalog will find it anyway, and included are Carol Gilligan, Charlotte the book, but of the Library of Con- there is good reason to do so, as this is Perkins Gilman, Anna Julia Cooper, gress subject headings assigned to it: an excellent reference work on the Luce Irigaray, and Mary Daly. Among “Feminist theory — Dictionaries” and subject. the philosophical concepts defined are “Feminist theory — History.” The Li- Gardner begins with an introduc- Essentialism, Body, Human Nature, brary of Congress has not created a tion in which she distinguishes femi- Subjectivity, and numerous flavors of subject heading called “Feminist phi- nist philosophy from mainstream phi- feminism (Analytic, Cultural, Liberal, losophy,” which would seem to be losophy: feminist philosophy is not Radical, Multicultural, Lesbian, Post- more appropriate for this book, as searching for knowledge for its own both the title and the preface make sake, but rather with a political goal: clear:

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modern, Psychoanalytic, and Social- [Phyllis Holman Weisbard, who wrote defined. There appear to be few en- ist). Entries range from a single sen- all of the above reviews, is the women’s tries for those women who are Irish- tence or two (Malestream, Backlash, studies librarian for the University of born but whose subject matter is out- the journal Hypatia) to more than four Wisconsin System.] side of what would normally be pages (Epistemology, Descartes, The considered “Irish”; and not surprising- Second Self). Although Gardner ac- ly, then, there are no entries for wom- knowledges that feminist philosophy WRITERS en who cannot claim Irish citizenship, has mostly developed in the West, she but who write on Irish-related themes. includes entries for Feminist Philoso- Alexander G. Gonzalez, IRISH For example, Patricia Finney, a novel- phy in India and Global Feminism. WOMEN WRITERS: AN A-TO-Z ist born in London, and the author of A detailed bibliography follows GUIDE. Westport, CT: Greenwood A Shadow of Gulls and Crow Goddess, the dictionary entries. Gardner starts Press, 2006. 348p. $99.95, ISBN 0- was not included in this guide. Her it with a bibliographic essay in which 313-32883-8. stories, which take place in Ireland in she guides readers to useful works such the second century, weave various ele- as the anthology A Companion to Fem- Reviewed by Dineen Grow ments of Celtic mythology throughout inist Philosophy, a special issue of Hy- the works. Olivia Robertson, whose patia on analytic feminism, Elizabeth Undertaking the task of compil- work has been compared to Sommer- Grosz=s Sexual Subversions: Three ing an anthology of any kind requires ville and Ross, and who was also born French Feminists (particularly as a way a certain amount of courage on the in London, is not represented. These into Irigaray), both Jane Flax’s Think- part of the editor(s). Inevitably, the are but a few examples. ing Fragments: Psychoanalysis, Femi- choices of which works to include and It was also interesting to note nism, and Postmodernism in the Con- which to omit will result in reader re- some of the Irish-born women Gonza- temporary West and Linda Nicholson’s actions ranging from surprise to out- lez left out of this work. Jane Barlow, Feminism/Postmodernism as introduc- rage. In the case of Irish Women Writ- Anne Crone, Celia de Freine, Maura tions in English to postmodernism, ers: An A-to-Z Guide, this eventuality Laverty, and Patricia Lynch (a prolific and various works on more specific is mitigated, though not completely writer of award winning children’s subjects. This essay is an excellent eliminated, by the choices made by novels) were all overlooked. In his in- choice for faculty and graduate stu- the editor, Alexander G. Gonzalez. troduction, Gonzalez apologizes for dents who need to do some reading in Overall, his work will greatly contrib- leaving out such notable writers as Eva feminist philosophy but don=t know ute to the body of research materials Gore-Booth and Maire Aine Nic where to start. The essay is followed available for scholars interested in this Ghearailt, explaining that he was not by citations to books and articles di- topic. His book certainly includes the able to include some of these writers vided into sections for general works, names most expected to be included either because of space considerations concepts and terms in current use, in a work of this nature. However, or because he could not find anyone fields within feminist philosophy (aes- since there were some fairly major willing to write up a review of the thetics, education, environment/na- omissions, the book should not be writer. Surely a book of 347 pages ture, epistemology/philosophy of sci- considered a comprehensive guide. could have accommodated a few more ence, ethics, history of philosophy, The inherent problem with any names, and the lack of a reviewer is a logic and philosophy of language, work that calls itself a guide to Irish poor excuse for being excluded. metaphysics, methodology, mind, reli- women writers is that it raises the If we are willing to accept the edi- gion, and political/social philosophy), question, “What is the definition of an tor’s definition of an Irish woman and works on individual philosophers. Irish woman writer?” If one were to writer, then I think the volume is a The volume also includes a chronolo- strictly use Gonzalez’s book, the con- very good starting reference for any- gy. clusion might be that the writer has to one wishing to get a general sense of A useful reference work for college have been born in Ireland, sometime the body of work available by some of and university libraries. in the twentieth century, and writes the most well-known Irish women au- about subjects identified with some thors, such as Maeve Binchy, Eavan aspect of Irish culture, however that is Boland, Frances Brown, Maria Edge- worth, and Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill, to

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three volumes of that series. Neverthe- less, I think the format chosen suits the type of reference work this is meant to be. Overall, I believe Irish Women Writers would be a valuable addition to any library.

Note

1. Seamus Deane, gen. ed., The Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing. Derry, Northern Ireland: Field Day Publica- tions; distributed in the U.S. by W.W. Norton, 1991. 5 vols. Vols. 4–5: Irish Women’s Writing and Traditions.

Miriam Greenwald [Dineen Grow is a library services super- visor at UW–Madison’s Memorial Li- name but a few of the seventy-five au- tions were especially valuable in giving brary. She received her B.A. in history thors represented. The reader is treated context to the author’s work and, pos- and political science from UW–Madison to an introduction of some of the best sibly, some insight into the subject and did graduate work in public poets, fiction writers, and political material most associated with that par- administration. During her spare time, commentators Ireland has to offer. ticular writer. she is an Irish language instructor and The directory is alphabetical and I like the way this book is orga- an avid reader of Irish literature and annotated, including biographical and nized. It doesn’t give examples of the history. She is also the founder and presi- bibliographical information about writers’ work in the same way that dent of the Celtic Cultural Center of each author selected. There is also a Volumes IV and V of the Field Day Madison and organizes various work- section for each entry detailing how Anthology1 do — works that were cre- shops, lectures, and festivals with Celtic the author’s work has been critically ated to right the injustice of women themes throughout the year.] received. The biographical descrip- not being fairly represented in the first

Looking for film/video ideas for a women’s studies course? Check out the WAVE database: Women’s AudioVisuals in English:

http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/WAVE/

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 33 E-SOURCES ON WOMEN AND GENDER

Our website (http://www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/Wo- The EUROPEAN SEXUALITY RESOURCE CENTRE mensStudies/) includes all recent issues of this column, (website at http://www.sexualityresources.eu/index.htm) plus many bibliographies, a database of women-focused is “a cooperation between libraries, training centres, and videos, and links to hundreds of other websites by topic. advocacy and research organizations” that exists to help re- Information about electronic journals and magazines, searchers find information about issues related to sexuality particularly those with numbered or dated issues posted on but which might not have been previously defined as such, a regular schedule, can be found in our “Periodical Notes” for instance, “reproductive health, reproductive rights, con- column. traception, the right to choose, abortion, prostitution, cas- tration, female genital mutilation, AIDS prevention.” Based in Amsterdam at the IIAV (International Information Cen- WEBSITES tre and Archives for the Women’s Movement), the Europe- an Sexuality Resource Centre also has partners in the U.S., The ASSOCIATION OF ALBANIAN GIRLS AND India, Nigeria, and Brazil. WOMEN (AAGW) exists to help victims of sex trafficking become empowered and regain their human dignity. Mem- A librarian and a songwriting legend’s daughter have col- bers of the association are themselves former trafficking vic- laborated to create the website MALVINA REYNOLDS: tims. AAGW’s website at http://www.aagw.org/ SONG LYRICS AND POEMS at index.html gives an eye-opening explanation of the extent http://www.wku.edu/~smithch/MALVINA/homep.htm and nature of the trafficking problem in a country where In addition to what the title promises, the site offers a brief “the legal system...is still in its infancy and is corrupt,” as biography, commentary by librarian Charles Smith and well as information about AAGW’s shelters and education- Reynolds’ daughter Nancy Schimmel, and links to other al efforts. resources about the woman Pete Seeger called “one of the great songwriters of the 20th Century.” “We are Women in a patriarchal society where women’s voices are not heard... We are Palestinians living under oc- An organization called “She”: Even without the clever pro- cupation... We are Gay in a society that has no mercy for noun, MAMA CASH is a remarkable effort. Started by a sexual diversity... We have decided that the time has come small group of Dutch women in the 1980s, this fund exists to defy the norms of our society, and make them hear our to finance “groundbreaking initiatives by women who voices for a change.” These are the members of ASWAT, a strive to strengthen women’s rights worldwide”: in Africa, group for Palestinian gay women. They are about twenty the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and strong so far, and they are now making their voices heard the Caribbean, Europe, and the former Soviet Union. See through their website at http://www.aswatgroup.org/en- http://www.mamacash.nl/site/en/ glish/ Even if you don’t read French, you’ll want to investigate the Maasai women in Kenya use traditional beadwork to craft “overview of African women writers writing in French, contemporary items for the Western world, and use the South of the Sahara” on READING WOMEN WRITERS proceeds to pay continuing school fees for girls who would AND AFRICAN LITERATURES, a site with an English otherwise be required to marry at age 13. BEADS is an or- version at http://www.arts.uwa.edu.au/AFLIT/ ganization that supports women’s craft groups and other FEMEChomeEN.html. A number of the works featured projects to help Kenyan girls. Its efforts have even resulted are available in translation. I’m immediately intrigued, for in a decrease in the practice of ritual genital cutting of instance, by the novels of Cameroonian writer Werewere young girls. Read about the many projects of BEADS at Liking and by The Shadow of Imana: Travels in the Heart of http://www.beadsforeducation.org/ Rwanda, by Véronique Tadjo of the Ivory Coast.

Page 34 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Alexander Street Press now offers an “online scholarly com- gardner and Amy Richards, and Lenelle Moise...among munity” to facilitate research and communication about others.” THE “SECOND WAVE” AND BEYOND, at http:// scholar.alexanderstreet.com/display/WASM/ The com- MEDIEVAL JEWISH WOMEN IN HISTORY, LITERA- munity is related to the Press’s subscription database Women TURE, LAW, AND ART: A BIBLIOGRAPHY: 2006 UP- and Social Movements, 1600–2000, but participation is free DATE, by Cheryl Tallan, on the Hadassah-Brandeis web- and open to anyone. The site, active yet still under develop- site, http://www.brandeis.edu/hbi: Select “Publications” ment, offers “bibliographies, unpublished papers, chronolo- from the menu on the left, then click on “The Scholars-in- gies, images, oral histories, links to and reviews of external Residence Working Papers Series” on the right, and scroll Web sites, book reviews, syllabi and other materials.” down the list to Paper #7. Read-only Word format, 75p.

SHAHRZAD NEWS, at http://www.shahrzadnews.org, THE PUSH JOURNAL: “PUSH” stands for Periodic Up- is an Internet-based news organization for and by Iranian dates of Sexual and Reproductive Health Issues Around women. The site is currently running in Farsi; an English the World. This is a “free, customized news service,” with version will launch in Fall 2006. RSS feeds, from the Communications Consortium Media Center (a nonprofit NGO based in Washington, DC) and UNFPA (the UN Population Fund). Users must register; ONLINE PUBLICATIONS see http://www.pushjournal.org

THE F-WORD: An online zine (with a print edition in the SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND works) published by a Temple University women’s studies RIGHTS, by Susie Jolly with Andrea Cornwall: A “Health major, at http://www.thef-wordzine.com. The opening Key Issues Guide” from the Institute of Development Stud- page offers this “fair warning”: “We talk really frankly ies in the UK, aimed at getting development agencies to about sex, and sometimes we use naughty words. If this approach issues of sexuality and reproduction positively freaks you out, then, please feel free to leave now. If you’re rather than as problems to be viewed negatively. Twenty- still with us, come on in and surf through our first issue!” page color booklet available in PDF at http:// Contents include “loads of great, politically meaty articles www.eldis.org/health/srhr/index.htm and interviews with Gloria Steinem, Loretta Ross, BETTY, Wendy Shanker, Dyann Logwood, Bitch, Jennifer Baum- Compiled by JoAnne Lehman

Miriam Greenwald

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 35 ZINES FROM THE STACKS: SELF-PUBLISHED TRACTS FROM LADY LIBRARY WORKERS

by Alycia Sellie

Librarians interested in alternative publications have who works in a library and you write a zine about it, I been getting together in the past few years to help each oth- would love to add your zine to our collection! er create, organize, and manage collections of the ephemer- Similarly, if you are a librarian interested in starting a al and unique materials known as zines. Designed in some zine collection, please join Jenna’s list or get in touch! In ways to completely defy all of the rules imposed by librari- my own experience, I have found members of the zine ans, catalogers, or organizational systems of any kind, zines community to be extremely helpful and supportive, and can be challenging to collect in libraries. However, zine li- zine librarians are no exception! They are almost always brarians are joining together to share their experiences and willing to share their knowledge and provide lots of infor- to provide more resources to those who want to read and mation and support. Enjoy, and be sure to let these lady preserve these self-published materials. librarians know how much you liked their work when you Julie Bartel recently released an excellent and instruc- are through reading (because the Number One love of a tional book that has been helpful to many a librarian (From zinester is regular, old-fashioned mail!) A to Zine: Building a Winning Zine Collection in Your Li- brary, published by the American Library Association), and E-Zine: Winter Solstice 2005 Jenna Freedman began an email list a few years ago that Zine-Zine: March 2005 only seems to grow with time (zinelibrarians, at http:// Biblio-Zine: no.1 (January 2005), no.2 (January 2006) groups.yahoo.com/group/zinelibrarians/). A group of Elaine Harger explores both her personal life and her librarians have been talking about writing a book together life as a high-school librarian in these three titles. E-Zine in on “zinebrarianship,” and members of the zinelibrarians this case does not refer to the common term “electronic email list are putting together a website to collate resources zine,” but one can assume it refers to Elaine, as it is her per- and tips about all the details of getting zines into libraries sonal zine that discusses the past year of her life and is ad- of all varieties (http://zinelibraries.info/). dressed to family and friends. The Winter Solstice 2005 Besides the apparently increasing interest in zines and edition’s cover announces the coming of Elaine’s fiftieth alternative press among library workers and library stu- birthday (hurray for her!), and inside she highlights cher- dents, the number of women involved with zines both dur- ished happenings from the past year, books she enjoyed, ing the day in their libraries and after work at their own and other anecdotes. This issue also includes a piece called kitchen tables or local copy centers is increasing as well. “some b.s. that happened at school,” in which Elaine de- Often these are women who are preserving zines as well as scribes a battle with her high school’s principal over wheth- expressing themselves through them. In many of these zines er the book On Bullshit, a bestseller by Harry G. Frankfurt, made by library workers, there is rejection or even ridicule was appropriate for the school’s library. She also gives a of the stuffy female librarian stereotype, and the women brief update on the progressive librarian work she has been showcase themselves as critically thinking creators and con- up to with the American Library Association and other sumers of media and art. committees. As a whole, E-Zine is honest and peaceful, a Below are a few reviews of current zines made by wom- charming look into Elaine’s life. en who work in libraries (as professional librarians or other- Elaine produced both Zine-Zine and Biblio-Zine for the wise). I discovered these titles through the process of start- high school where she works in Washington State. Zine- ing the Library Workers Zine Collection, a collection of Zine was created for a local series of zine-making work- zines made by, for, and about people who work in libraries, shops that Elaine held at her library on topics including at the School of Library and Information Studies Library at papermaking, zine binding, brainstorming, and the history the University of Wisconsin–Madison. If you are a zinester of the medium. Photos show students from a number of schools engaging in the various stages of production. Biblio-

Page 36 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Zine Review

Zine is dedicated to the the school’s library, and in the first taking clomid to get pregnant and at night attempting to issue, students review their favorite reference books in the skateboard in a supermarket parking lot.” library’s collection, from The New Rolling Stone Encyclope- Celia has been making zines for awhile now (since the dia of Rock and Roll to The Washington Driver Guide. Issue days of Sassy magazine), and I Dreamed I Was Assertive is a 2, also written mostly by students, includes “A Day in the mish-mash of her daily life and travels, hopes for the fu- Life of a ... High School Library Aide,” the results of a few ture, and reactions to Chicago and life around her. From student surveys about the library, book reviews written by her personal life and attempts to have a baby (“I wanted to students, and photos of reviewers working in the library. address this topic in my zine because…I have yet to read Both Biblio-Zine and Zine-Zine are great examples of how anything in a zine about someone who is struggling with to use zines in school libraries. infertility. Maybe it’s taboo to write about this topic in the Elaine does not mass-produce or sell her zines. Readers zine world because it isn’t subverting the patriarchy or it’s a in Madison, Wisconsin, may be able to borrow them from sign of how society continues to dictate the women’s roles, (or view them at) the University of Wisconsin’s SLIS or because many people think it’s irresponsible to bring a (School of Library and Information Studies) Library; else- child into an already overcrowded world that is falling to where, try Interlibrary Loan. pieces. I don’t know, I’m not viewing this as a social-political issue, I’m just going with my heart”), to music apprecia- Lower East Side Librarian Winter Solstice Shout Out: tion via mix tapes, postal love, and interviews with fellow latest issue (2005) librarians (Jenna Freedman in #7), IDIWA is a sweet and It’s really a pleasure to read Jenna Freedman’s zine. Jen- varied little zine. Celia also includes a reading list filled na seems to be one of the busiest ladies in librarianship, with reviews, and one of the neatest things is that each of with everything from zine activism and her collection at the issues I have (Numbers 6 and 7) have a tiny vellum Barnard College (read all about it at http:// pocket in the back filled with “Haiku Tributes to the www.barnard.columbia.edu/library/zines/) to her work Things I Loathe and Love.” There’s also a wish list at the with Radical Reference (http://www.radicalreference.info) back of each issue. Issue 6 longs for “more zines by Latinas and her role as an advocate for higher salaries and the status and Latinos — where are you??” The tricky thing about of women in librarianship. LESLWSSO is an annual zine Celia’s zines is that she makes them in a big run and “when covering the events of the past year of Jenna’s life and her they’re gone, they’re gone.” So you might want to try dis- reactions to them. It also includes a large reading list — tros (distributors) or other sources for back issues of these with reviews — that is a great read in itself. Each zine has zines (and also keep an eye out for Celia’s Skate Tough You some diary-style entries, as well as larger pieces (e.g., “Am I Little Girls, a zine all about ladies’ skateboarding!) Your Jewish Friend?”), thoughts on such topics as anar- Email: [email protected]. Try these distros: My My chism and marriage, and random gripes as well as some Distro, http://mymygirlswirl.net; C/S Distro, http:// amusing bits (“tattoos I am considering: one less kid, DNR www.csdistro.com; Sew True Distro, http://sewtrue.org. and ronod nagro” — “organ donor” backwards). Jenna’s Price: $2.00–3.00 per issue. zine is not to be missed if you’d like an honest, friendly view into the life of an intelligent, involved, and inspira- Ponyboy: no date or numbering information tional young librarian who is looking for both reality and “What follows is a sincere attempt to make coherent change in a strange world. something quite small that felt so big as it was happening.” Jenna Freedman, 521 E. 5th St., Apt.1D, New York, Told here is an “illustrated version” of events that hap- NY 10009; email: [email protected]. Price: $2.00–3.00 pened when Torie was 21 (“indulge me. I was so young”), per issue or “library zine trade.” in which the new “sheriff” in town finds love with a “long- legged, apple-eating pony” that runs from her. It’s about I Dreamed I Was Assertive: no.6 (Summer 2004), no.7 heartbreak and yet it doesn’t take itself too seriously in (Winter/Spring 2005) hindsight. Torie’s drawings are simple and great, and the “Sometimes I think it would be better to just be one of text is short and good (so tempting to quote it all here!). those adults who looks and acts and most importantly, feels Torie is in library school, and her zine does not have oh-so- the part. But I’m not, and I think it’s safe to say that I never much to do with libraries, but it is a great little read. will be. This is me, a ball of contradictions — in the day Torie, P.O. Box 110467, Brooklyn, NY 11211. Price: $1.00 per issue.

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 37 Zine Review

Durga: Winter 2006 Practicum Issue,” School Librarian talks about her work in Tracy explains here both her personal and political a required practicum program at her library school, which lives, as well as how her past is affecting her future. In “Eu- forces her to step outside of what she is comfortable with gene,” she writes about the activist landscape of Oregon, (high school students) and work in two schools where ad- how she enjoys her home, but how she is frustrated by mittedly “it took a bit of mind-shifting to accept that I some of the more petty confusion within the local anarchist didn’t know it all.” All in all, within this work our School community. Other pieces are about her past, her sister’s Librarian is able to see children as more than “loud, disor- struggle with MS and drug abuse, her relationship with her ganized, illogical germ factories” and to grow more com- father, and her decision to remain “child-free” amid the fortable and appreciative of the librarians around her for pressures of being a married woman. the challenges they face in this environment of cutbacks Durga’s latest issue marks changes for Tracy; she has and increased difficulties in public schools. The zine is begun library school, which is a struggle for her after a well-written and enjoyable throughout. School Librarian is “tough time dealing with classism as an undergraduate,” definitely someone to chat with if you are thinking of and her cat (the namesake of her zine) has passed away. bringing the alternative press into your school. From a discussion of the Iraq war to mention of her own Email: [email protected]. Price: $1.00 vulnerabilities with depression, Tracy is an open and re- per issue; FREE to school libraries. freshing writer who leaves you ready for the next issue of Durga. Sugar Needle: nos. 25 and 26 Durga, P.O. Box 5841, Eugene, OR 97405; email: Sugar Needle is perhaps one of the most charming and [email protected]. Price: $1.50 per issue or trade. fun zines put out by librarians. Subtitled “The zine all about weird candy and sugary products,” Sugar Needle dis- You Must Have Me Confused with Someone Who Cares: covers and reviews strange candy from throughout the no. 1.38 (May 2005); and “The Practicum Issue,” no. 2.39.1 world, from “gummy teeth” to absinthe-flavored breath (December 2005) mints. Also included are interviews (Jean Thompson, head CEO of Seattle Chocolates, in Issue 26, and Clint Johns, I’m a high school teacher in a relatively large, pro- zine buyer for Tower Records, in Issue 25) and other de- gressive Midwestern city. My school is an alterna- lights. Sugar Needle is sweet; it comes in an unusual tall and tive program in the public school system, and we slim format with great scans of candy packaging and hand- are funded (uuuhhh, fiscally strangled) like all oth- colored graphics; and it will probably give you the urge to er public schools. Our students choose to come to pick up a toothbrush when you’re through reading. our school because they just can’t make it work in Two addresses: “Up”: P.O. Box 330152, Minneapolis, the factory-like large high schools in the city. They MN 55408. “Down”: 1174-2 Briarcliff Rd., Atlanta, GA need more attention, more direction, stronger cre- 30306. Price: $1.00 + one stamp per issue, or “selective ative curriculum, greater respect from staff and trades for zines or cool candy.” students and usually a more leftist (truthful) political outlook. [Alycia Sellie graduated from library school at the University of Wisconsin–Madison in May 2006. For the past two years, she So begins You Must Have Me Confused with Someone has organized the Madison Zine Fest (http:// Who Cares, a zine that takes a brief look into one woman’s www.madisonzinefest.org), a gathering of local and nation- life as a teacher in an alternative school. In YMHM- al zine creators that takes place in collaboration with the an- CWSWC, “School Librarian” talks a bit about her experi- nual Wisconsin Book Festival. When she is not reading zines, ences teaching students at this high school about zines and watching trashy horror movies, or riding her bike, you may the history of the underground press, but the majority of find her at the Wisconsin Historical Society, where she enjoys the zine is her own reaction to the state of her school and working in the Newspapers and Periodicals Department.] what she wishes for herself and her students. In “The

Page 38 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) PERIODICAL NOTES

SPECIAL ISSUES OF PERIODICALS tics and the Problem of Consort Biography,” by Corinna Heipcke; “Posthumous Fame and Writing of the Self by the ACADEMIC PSYCHIATRY v.28, no.4 (December 2004): ‘Great’ Landgräfin Karoline of Hessen-Darmstadt,” by Hel- Special feature: “Women’s Professional Development in ga Meise; “Wilhelmine Encke-Ritz-Lichtenau: Writing and Psychiatry.” ISSN: 1042-9670. Guest ed.: Anna Lembke. Reading the Life of a Prussian Royal Mistress,” by Waltraud Publ.: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., 1000 Wilson Maierhofer. Blvd., Suite, 1825, Arlington, VA 22209-3901; phone: (800) 368-5777; fax: (703) 907-1091; email: CLIO MEDICA/ THE WELLCOME SERIES IN THE [email protected]; website: http:// HISTORY OF MEDICINE v.73, no.1 (January 2004): ap.psychiatryonline.org/ “Sex and Seclusion, Class and Custody: Perspectives on Partial contents: “Women and Academic Psychiatry,” Gender and Class in the History of British and Irish Psy- by Jonathan F. Borus; “Reflections on Women and Psychia- chiatry.” Issue eds.: Jonathan Andrews & Anne Digby. try,” by Deborah J. Hales; “Women in Academic Psychia- ISSN 0045-7183; online ISSN: 0045-7183. Publ.: Rodopi, try,” by Janet Bickel; “Women and Teaching in Academic 295 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 1B, Kenilworth, NJ Psychiatry,” by Laura D. Hirshbein, Kate Fitzgerald, and 07033; phone: (800) 225-3998; email: [email protected]; Michelle Riba; “Women in U.S. Psychiatric Training,” by website: http://www.rodopi.nl/senj.asp?SerieId=CLIO Shaili Jain and Bhawani Ballamudi; “Women in Psychiatric Partial contents: “Class, Gender and Madness in Eigh- Training,” by Ann M. Bogan and Debra L. Safer; “Gender teenth-Century Scotland,” by Robert Allan Houston; Differences in the Practice Characteristics and Career Satis- “Gender and Insanity in Nineteenth-Century Ireland,” by faction of Psychiatrists in Ontario,” by Paul E. Garfinkel et Oonagh Walsh; “Class, Gender and Insanity in Nine- al.; “Women Psychiatrists: Personal and Professional Choic- teenth-Century Wales,” by Pamela Michael; “‘Embarrassed es—A Survey,” by Silvia W. Olarte; “Female Physicians: Circumstances’: Gender, Poverty, and Insanity in the West Balancing Career and Family,” by Glese Verlander; “History Riding of England in the Early-Victorian Years,” by Marjo- of Women in Psychiatry,” by Laura D. Hirshbein; “Chal- rie Levine-Clark; “Delusions of Gender? Lay Identification lenges Faced by International Women Professionals,” by and Clinical Diagnosis of Insanity in Victorian England,” Nalini V. Juthani. by David Wright; “Sex and Sensibility in Cultural History: The English Governess and the Lunatic Asylum, 1845– BIOGRAPHY: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY QUARTER- 1914,” by Joseph Melling; “The Female Patient Experience LY v.27, no.3 (Summer 2004): Special essay collection: in Two Late-Nineteenth-Century Surrey Asylums,” by “Life Writing by and about German-Speaking Women in Anne Shepherd; “A Class Apart? Admissions to the Dundee the Long Eighteenth Century.” ISSN: 0162-4962. Guest Royal Lunatic Asylum 1890–1910,” by Lorraine Walsh; “‘A ed.: Ruth Dawson. Publ.: University of Hawai’i Press for Menace to the Good of Society’: Class, Fertility, and the the Biographical Research Center. Center for Biographical Feeble-Minded in Edwardian England,” by Mark Jackson; Research, University of Hawai’i at M´noa, Honolulu, HI “Class and Gender in Twentieth-Century British Psychia- 96822; email: [email protected]; website: http:// try: Shell-Shock and Psychopathic Disorder,” by Joan Bus- www.hawaii.edu/biograph field. Partial contents: “German Rediscovery of Life Writing: Introduction to Essays on German-Speaking Women as FRENCH HISTORICAL STUDIES v.27, no.2 (March Rulers, Consorts, and Royal Mistresses in the Long Eigh- 2004): “Pedagogical Forum: Integrating Women and Gen- teenth Century,” by Ruth Dawson with Waltraud Maier- der into Courses on French History.” Forum eds.: Jo Burr hofer; “Memoirs as Dynastic Means of Legitimization: Margadant & Ted W. Margadant. ISSN: 0016-1071. Publ.: Duchess Sophie of Hannover,” by Helke Dreier; “Perilous Duke University Press/Journals, for the Society for French Royal Biography: Representations of Catherine II Immedi- Historical Studies, with the support of the Department of ately after Her Seizure of the Throne,” by Ruth Dawson; History, University of California Davis, and the College of “Landgräfin Karoline of Hessendarmstadt: Epistolary Poli- Arts and Sciences, Santa Clara University. Orders: Duke

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 39 Periodical Notes

University Press, Journals Fulfillment, 905 W. Main St., Suite 18B, Durham, NC 27701. Partial contents: “Incorporating Women/Gender into French History Courses, 1429–1789: Did Women of the Old Regime Have a Political History?” by Kathryn Norb- erg; “Integrating Women and Gender into the Teaching of French History, 1789 to the Present,” by Elinor Ann Ac- campo; “Teaching Women and Gender in France D’Outre- Mer: Problems and Strategies,” by Patricia Lorcin.

HIGH ABILITY STUDIES v.15, no.1 (June 2004): Spe- cial issue: “Gifted Females in Mathematics, the Natural Sciences and Technology.” Issue ed.: Heidrun Stoeger. ISSN: 1359-8139 print; 1469-834X online. Publ.: European Council for High Ability, P.O. Box 242, Oxford, UK; phone/fax: 44-1865-861-879; email: [email protected] Partial contents: “Cultural Infuences on Gifted Gender Achievement,” by Joan Freeman; “Gender Differences in Adolescent Academic Achievement, Interests, Values and Life-Role Expectations,” by Judy L. Lupart, Elizabeth Can- non, & Jo Ann Telfer: “Is Research on Gender-Specific Un- derachievement in Gifted Girls an Obsolete Topic? New Fndings on an Often Discussed Issue,” by Barbara Schober, Ralph Reimann, & Petra Wagner; “Evaluation of an Attri- butional Retraining (Modeling Technique) to Reduce Gen- der Differences in Chemistry Instruction,” by Albert Zie- gler & Heidrun Stoeger; “Gender Differences among Gifted Students: Contemporary Views,” by Gilah Leder.

HISTORY TEACHER v.37, no.4 (August 2004): Special section: “OAH Panel: Race, Gender and Ethnicity in the United States History Survey.” Section ed.: Michael Jo- hanek. ISSN: 00182745. Publ.: Society for the History of Education, P.O. Box 1577, Borrego Springs, CA 92004; phone/fax: (760) 767-5938; email: [email protected]; website: http://www.thehistoryteacher.org/ Partial contents: “Surveying Gender: Another Look at the Way We Teach United States History,” by Mary Freder- ickson; “The Risks and Rewards of Teaching Race,” by Jonathan M. Chu; “Immigrant and Ethnic History in the United States Survey,” by Diane C. Vecchio; “Race and Gender Issues on the AP United States History Examina- tion,” by Uma Venkateswaran; “Meeting the Challenges of the United States History Survey,” by Michael Grossberg.

Page 40 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Periodical Notes

IDS BULLETIN v.35, no.4 (October 2004): Special issue: by G. Reza Arabsheibani, Alan Marin, & Jonathan Wad- “Repositioning Feminisms in Development.” Issue eds.: sworth. Andrea Cornwall, Elizabeth Harrison, & Ann Whitehead. ISSN: 0265-5012. Publ.: Institute of Development Studies, JOURNAL OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY v.89, Brighton, BN1 9RE, UK; phone: 44-0-1273-606261: fax: no.3 (Summer 2004): Special issue: “New Directions in 44-0-1273-621202; email: [email protected]; website: http:// African American Women’s History.” Issue ed.: Francille www.ids.ac.uk/ids/bookshop/bulletin/index.html. Rusan Wilson. ISSN: 1548-1867. Publ.: Association for Partial contents: “Gender Myths that Instrumentalise the Study of African American Life and History, CB Powell Women: A View from the Indian Frontline,” by Srilatha Building, 525 Bryant Street, NW, Suite C142, Washington, Batliwala and Deepa Dhanraj; “Dangerous Equations? DC 20059. How Female-Headed Households Became the Poorest of Partial contents: “Thinking Locally, Acting Globally: the Poor: Causes, Consequences and Cautions,” by Sylvia The International Agenda of African American Clubwom- Chant; “The NGO-isation of Arab Women’s Movements,” en, 1888–1940,” by Michelle Rief; “A Generation of Wom- by Islah Jad; “Cracking Cashew Nut Myths? The Challeng- en Activists: African American Female Educators in Har- es of Gendered Policy Research in the Cashew Sector in lem, 1930–1950,” by Lauri Johnson; “Black Women Mozambique,” by Nazneen Kanji & Carin Vijfhuizen; Historians from the Late Nineteenth Century to the Dawn “Not Very Poor, Powerless or Pregnant: The African Wom- of the Civil Rights Movement,” by Pero Gaglo Dagbovie; an Forgotten by Development,” by Everjoice J. Win; “Bat- “Essay Review I: African American Women, Civil Rights, tles over Booklets: Gender Myths in the British Aid Pro- and Black Power,” by June O. Patton; “Essay Review II: gramme,” by Rosalind Eyben; “‘Streetwalkers Show the Black and White Women Historians Together?” by Francil- Way’: Reframing the Debate on Trafficking from Sex work- le Rusan Wilson. ers’ Perspective,” by Nandinee Bandyopadhyay et al.; “Women, Work and Empowerment in a Global Era,” by JOURNAL OF AGING STUDIES v.18, no.1 (2004): Spe- Ruth Pearson; “With a Little Help from our Friends: ‘Glo- cial issue: “New Directions in Feminist Gerontology.” Issue bal’ Incentives and ‘Local’ Challenges to Feminist Politics ed.: Toni Calasanti. ISSN: 0890-4065. Publ.: Elsevier Sci- in Brazil,” by Cecilia M.B. Sardenberg; “Reinvigorating ence, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford Autonomous Feminist Spaces,” by Anne Marie Goetz. OX5 1GB, UK; website: http://www.jaipress.com/ Partial contents: “Social Security Privatization and INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MANPOWER v.25, Older Women: A Feminist Political Economy Perspective,” nos.3/4 (2004): Special issue: “Earnings Inequalities: Gen- by Carroll Estes; “Generationing Gender: Justice and the der, Race and Sexual Orientation.” Issue eds.: Danièle Division of Welfare,” by Susan A. McDaniel; “Age, Gender, Meulders, Robert Plasman, and François Rycx. ISSN: Narratives, and Masquerades,” by Simon Biggs; “The Body, 0143-7720. Publ.: Emerald, 60-62 Toller Lane, Bradford, Gender, and Age: Feminist Insights in Social Gerontology,” West Yorkshire, UK, BD8 9BY; phone: 44-0-1274- by Julia Twigg; “Self-Esteem and the Intersection of Age, 777700; fax: 44 -0-1274-785201; email: Class, and Gender,” by Julie Ann McMullin & John Cair- [email protected]; website: http:// ney; “Gender, Marital Status, and Ageing: Linking Materi- www.emeraldinsight.com. al, Health, and Social Resources,” by Sara Arber; “Toward Partial contents: “Gender Earnings Differentials across the Croning of Feminist Gerontology,” by Ruth E. Ray. Individuals over Time in British Cohort Studies,” by Gerry Makepeace, Peter Dolton, & Heather Joshi; “Gender Wage JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE, IDENTITY, AND EDU- Gaps and Job Mobility in Spain,” by Antonio Caparrós CATION v.3, no.4 (2004): “(Re)constructing Gender in a Ruiz et al.; “Rent Sharing and the Gender Wage Gap in New Voice.” ISSN: 1534-8458. Publ.: Lawrence Erlbaum Belgium,” by François Rycx & Ilan Tojerow; “Wage Differ- Associates, Inc., 10 Industrial Avenue, Mahwah, NJ 07430; entials between Male-Female and Native-Foreign Workers email: [email protected]; website: http:// in Pre-Unification Germany,” by Kostas G. Mavromaras; www.erlbaum.com “Direct and Indirect Gender Discrimination in the South Partial contents: “Gender Codes at Odds and the Lin- African Labour Market,” by Carola Grün; “In the Pink: guistic Construction of a Hybrid Identity,” by E. Skapoulli; Homosexual-Heterosexual Wage Differentials in the UK,” “Gender Enactments in Immigrants’ Discursive Practices:

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 41 Periodical Notes

Bringing Bakht into the Dialogue,” by G. Vitanova; “The 35201-2513; phone: (800) 633-4931; website: http:// Days Now Is Very Hard for My Family: The Negotiation www.multiculturalcenter.org/jmcd and Construction of Gendered Work Identities Among Partial contents: “Feminism and Multiculturalism: Par- Newly Arrived Women Refugees,” by D. Warriner; “I Al- allels and Intersections,” by Amy L. Reynolds & Madonna ways Had the Desire to Progress a Little: Gendered Narra- G. Constantine; “Feminist and Multicultural Collaboration tives of Immigrant Language Learners,” by J. Menard-War- in Counseling Supervision: Voices from Two African Amer- wick. ican Women,” by Robbie J. Steward & Rosemary E. Phelps; “Collaborative Consultation: International Applica- JOURNAL OF MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING tions of a Multicultural Feminist Approach,” by Sharon G. AND DEVELOPMENT v.32 supplement (2004): Special Horne & Susan S. Mathews; “Counseling Practice With section: “Centralizing Feminism and Multiculturalism in Feminist-Multicultural Perspectives,” by Mollie Whalen, Counseling.” Section ed.: Ruth E. Fassinger. ISSN: 0090- Karen P. Fowler-Lese, & Jill S. Barber; “Power and Respon- 5461. Publ.: Multicultural Center, Antioch University New sibility in Therapy: Integrating Feminism and Multicultur- England: “quarterly journal of the Association for Multicul- alism,” by Elizabeth Nutt Williams & Jill S.Barber; “Femi- tural Counseling and Development (AMCD), a member nist Teaching in Counselor Education: Promoting association of the American Counseling Association.” ACA Multicultural Understanding,” by Sondra Smith-Adcock, Subscriptions Office, P.O. Box 2513, Birmingham, AL Becky Ropers-Huilman, & Laura Hensley Choate; “To- ward Integrating Feminist and Multicultural Pedagogies,” by Carolyn Zerbe Enns, Ada L.Sinacore, & Julie R.Ancis; “A Multicultural Feminist Model of Mentoring,” by Lois A. Benishek, Kathleen J. Bieschke, & Jeeseon Park.

NINETEENTH-CENTURY STUDIES v.18 (2004): Spe- cial feature: “Men’s Needs, Women’s Desires, and the Arts.” Feature eds.: Dennis Denisoff & Marlene Tromp. ISSN: 0893-7931. Publ.: Nineteenth Century Studies Associa- tion. David C. Hanson, Editor, Nineteenth Century Studies, Department of English, Southeastern Louisiana University, SLU 10861, Hammond, LA 70402. Partial contents: “Dibutades and Her Daughters: The Female Artist in Postrevolutionary France,” by Alexandra K. Wettlaufer; “Multiplicities of Longing: The Queer De- sires of Bleak House and Little Dorrit, by Mary A. Arm- strong; “The Double Taboo: Lesbian Incest in the Nine- teenth Century,” by Sarah Annes Brown; “East Lynne, The Turn of the Screw, and the Female Doppelgänger in Gov- erness Fiction,” by Antonia Losano.

PS: POLITICAL SCIENCE AND POLITICS v.37, no.1 (January 2004): E-symposium: “An Open Boundaries Workshop: Women and Politics in Comparative Perspec- tive” (papers resulting from the Third Japanese American Women’s Symposium (JAWS) at the University of Dela- ware, August 2003, co-sponsored by the American Political Science Association and Women’s Studies at the University of Delaware). Symposium ed.: Marian Lief Palley. ISSN: 0030-8269. Publ.: American Political Science Association,

Page 42 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) 1527 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20036- 1206; phone: 202-483-2512; fax: 202-483-2657; email: [email protected] Partial contents: “Advance of Japanese Women in Poli- tics: The General Local Election of 2003,” by Tokuko Ogai; “Incorporating Gender Equality at Local Politics: A Case of Toyonaka,” by Chieko Kitagawa Otsuru; “Women Running for Congress: An Overview of the 2002 Elec- tions,” by Julie Dolan; “Women’s Political Participation at the State and Local Level in the United States,” by M. Mar- garet Conway; “Whatever Happened to the Year of the Woman: Lessons from the 1992 and 2002 Elections,” by Michele Swers; “Women Running Locally: How Gender Affects School Board Elections,” by Melissa Deckman; “The Governor’s Race in Hokkaido: The Election of a Fe- male Governor and Its Impact,” by Masako Aiuchi; “Has the Closed Door Opened for Women? The Appointment of Women Ministers in Japan,” by Yoshie Kobayashi; “Gen- der, Party and Political Change: The Evolution of a Demo- cratic Advantage,” by Barbara Palmer and Dennis Simon; “The Mother’s Body Protection Act and the Contraceptive Pill: Reproductive Rights and Policy Making in Japan,” by Misako Iwamoto; “Engendered Violence: India in Compar- ative Perspective,” by Chiharu Takenaka; “Medicalization versus Demedicalization of Women’s Health Care,” by Mar- ian Lief Palley.

PSYCHOANALYTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY v.18, no.1 (March 2004): Special issue on analyst/therapist pregnancy. ISSN: 0266-8734. Publ.: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group; website: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titles/ 02668734.asp Partial contents: “The Analyst’s Pregnancy: A Non- Negotiable Fact,” by Nollaig Whyte; “Pregnancy: An Un- thinkable Reality,” by Sharon Hopkins; “Reliving Aban- donment in the Face of the Therapist’s Pregnancy,” by Justice, P.O. Box 40601, San Francisco, CA 94140; web- Elizabeth Gibb; “Two Is Too Much: The Impact of a Ther- site: http://www.socialjusticejournal.org/ apist’s Successive Pregnancies on a Female Patient,” by Isa- Partial contents: “The Color of Violence,” by Haunani bel Hernandez Halton; “The Psychotherapist’s Miscarriage Kay Trask; “Federal Indian Law and Violent Crime: Native and Pregnancy as an Obstacle to Containment,” by Denise Women and Children at the Mercy of the State,” by Sarah Cullington-Roberts; “Somebody Else’s Baby: Evidence of Deer; “The Lost Generation: American Indian Women and Broken Rules and Broken Promises?” by Kate Dufton. Sterilization Abuse,” by Myla Vicenti Carpio; “Native Women, Mean-Spirited Drugs, and Punishing Policies,” SOCIAL JUSTICE: A JOURNAL OF CRIME, CON- Luana Ross; “Ex-Prisoner Pomo Woman Speaks Out,” by FLICT & WORLD ORDER v.31, no.4 (2004): Special Stormy Ogden; “Violence Against Native Women,” by Roe issue: “Native Women and State Violence.” Guest eds.: An- Bubar & Pamela Jumper Thurman; “Boarding School drea Smith & Luana Ross. ISSN: 1043-1578. Publ.: Social Abuses, Human Rights, and Reparations,” by Andrea Smith; poetry.

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 43 ITEMS OF NOTE

The InteLex Corporation, in association with the Oxford WABA at P.O. Box 1200, 10850 Penang, Malaysia; phone: University Press, will soon be adding THE LIFE AND 60-4-658-4816; fax: 60-4-657 2655; email: WRITINGS OF LADY MARY WORTLEY MONTAGU [email protected]; website: http://www.waba.org.my. to its PAST MASTERS: WOMEN WRITERS collection. Montagu was an eighteenth-century English traveler and In an effort to combat the negative images of women in the author who is credited with introducing smallpox inocula- media, Isis International-Manila organized the Radio Pro- tion to England. The database will include a collection of duction Training for Asian Women Broadcasters in Montagu’s writing and letters, as well as four complete bi- Bangkok in April, 2000. From that event comes AWIT NG ographies edited by Robert Halsband and Isobel Grundy. BABAE: ASIA-PACIFIC WOMEN’S MUSIC. The audio The collection is available on CD-ROM for both Windows CD includes music original music from the women of the (ISBN 1570854378) and Macintosh (ISBN 1570854947) Philippines, Sri Lanka, Laos, Bangladesh, and Australia, computers ($240 individuals, $700 institutions, and $1400 along with an insert with the translated lyrics. Isis Interna- campus-wide access). Campus-wide access to the Web serv- tional is offering the CD free of charge to qualified wom- er is also available for $1400. To order, contact the InteLex en’s radio programs and community groups, but encourages Corporation, PO Box 859, Charlottesville, VA 22902- donations to cover the cost of shipping and handling. To 0859; phone: 434-970-2286; fax: 434-979-5804; website: order a CD or cassette, contact Media, Information and http://www.nlx.com/titles/titlww18.htm. Communication Services Programme, Isis International- Manila, No. 3 Marunong Street, Barangay Central 1100, In 2003, the host of DIALOGUE, a weekly radio program Quezon City, Philippines; phone: 632-435-3405; fax: 632- produced by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for 924-1065; email: [email protected]; web- Scholars, interviewed Sanam Anderlini about the effects of site: http://www.isiswomen.org/pub/catalogue/cd.html. war on women and children in a program entitled WOM- EN & THE ARCHITECTURE OF PEACE. Anderlini is The following three items are OCCASIONAL PAPERS the Director of Policy Commission at Women Waging ON GENDER POLICY from the United Nations Re- Peace. In the interview she described the opportunities search Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) Press. peace offers to improve the lives of women through a trans- Copies are available for $12 each for those in industrialized formation of society, and provided examples of such events. nations and $6 each for students and those in “developing To obtain a CD-ROM or cassette recording of the program and transitional” nations. To obtain a copy, contact Sylvie for $10 (check or money order only), contact DIALOGUE Brenninkmeyer-Liu, Palais des Nations, 1211 Geneva 10, at One Woodrow Wilson Plaza, Woodrow Wilson Center, Switzerland; phone: 41-22- 917-3011; fax: 41-22-917- 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington, DC 20004-3027; 0650; email: [email protected]. These and other publications phone: 202-691-4146; email: [email protected]. are also available online in PDF format at the UNRISD When ordering, you should have the program number website: http://www.unrisd.org. Click on “Publications” (#651) available, or the name of the guest. Alternatively, and then search by author, title, or type of publication. you can listen to this and other DIALOGUE programs online using Quicktime Player. Website: http:// 1. According to Binaifer Nowrojee, author of www.wilsoncenter.org/ “YOUR JUSTICE IS TOO SLOW”: WILL THE index.cfm?fuseaction=dialogue.index#. ICTR FAIL RWANDA’S RAPE VICTIMS? (UN- RISD Occasional Paper 10, 29p., March 2006), The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) has the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda recently released BREASTFEEDING: A REPRODUC- (ICTR) has failed to prosecute the perpetrators of TIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS ISSUE, an 80-page book sexual violence against Tutsi women during the by Lakshmi Menon and Sarah Amin. The authors argue Rwandan genocide, which ended more than ten that breastfeeding is a vital aspect of overall reproductive years ago. Nowrojee interviews rape survivors who health for women, and explore the way women incorporate have experienced hostility and embarrassment in breastfeeding into their lives and complex responsibilities. their attempts to seek justice and contends that A copy of the book can be obtained for $5 by contacting there is a lack of a “political will” to prosecute

Page 44 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Items of Note

crimes of sexual violence along with other violent with economic reform and integration into the global econ- crimes. View the paper online in PDF format at omy have come new social conflicts for the nations of the http://www.unrisd.org/publications/opgp10. Middle East and North Africa. Social Policy in the Middle East, edited by Massoud Karshenas and Valentine M. 2. Keiko Yamanaka and Nicola Piper explore the Moghadan, explores “political and economic perspectives consequences of “uneven economic development” on social policy” in the region, and the way in which policy for women who migrate to wealthier nations in changes can help alleviate social tensions during the eco- order to find work in FEMINIZED MIGRA- nomic and social transformation. It also includes a “gender TION IN EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA: analysis of social policy.” POLICIES, ACTIONS AND EMPOWERMENT The book is available from Palgrave Macmillan for $90 at (UNRISD Occasional Paper 11, 56p., December 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010; phone: 888-330- 2005). Poorer nations encourage women to mi- 8477; fax: 888-672-2054; website: http://www.palgrave- grate to wealthier countries to work and send their usa.com. money home, yet do little to ensure the safety and well-being of these migrant workers. Migrant Compiled by Jessica Trumm women may experience greater social mobility and empowerment when they move to a new country, but can also experience great injustice. Non-governmental agencies have been established to fill the void in protecting workers’ rights.

3. Although foreign direct investment (FDI) is popular as a tool to aid developing nations, Elissa Braunstein questions its outcomes and utility for women in FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND GENDER EQUITY: A REVIEW OF RESEARCH AND POLICY (UN- RISD Occasional Paper 12, 40p., March 2006). When FDI concentrates on “labour-intensive, largely export-oriented industries,” women may lose their jobs to men as companies seek to keep costs down. While women’s wages often increase in absolute terms, the FDI does little to alleviate the gender gap in wages. Baumstein suggests policies to encourage the productive capacity of women and social supports along with FDI in order to help women achieve equality.

In cooperation with Palgrave Macmillan, UNRISD has recently added SOCIAL POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST: ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND GENDER DYNAMICS (280p., ISBN 1403941653, 2006) to its SOCIAL POLI- CY IN A DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT series. Along Miriam Greenwald

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 45 BOOKS AND AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS RECEIVED

THE AGE OF THE WORLD TARGET: SELF- DIFFERENT VOICES, WOMEN IN UNITED STATES REFERENTIALITY IN WAR, THEORY, AND HISTORY. Teipe, Emily. CAT, 2006. COMPARATIVE WORK. Chow, Rey. Duke University Press, 2006. DOCUMENTING WOMEN’S RIGHTS VIOLATIONS BY NON-STATE ACTORS. Bauer, Jan and Hélie, Anissa. THE BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF SCOTTISH International Centre for Human Rights/Democratic WOMEN. Ewan, Elizabeth and others, eds. Edinburgh Development/Women Living Under Muslim Laws, 2006. University Press, 2006. AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BRITISH WOMEN’S A BIOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF WOMEN’S WRITING, 1900–1950. Hammill, Faye and others, eds. MOVEMENTS AND FEMINISMS: CENTRAL, Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. EASTERN, AND SOUTH EASTERN EUROPE, 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES. de Haan, Francisca and others, ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FEMINIST LITERATURE. eds. Central European University Press, 2006. Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. Facts on File, 2006.

CALLING THIS PLACE HOME: WOMEN ON THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WOMEN AND BASEBALL. WISCONSIN FRONTIER 1850–1925. Jensen, Joan M. Heaphy, Leslie M. and May, Mel Anthony, eds. McFarland, Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2006. 2006.

THE CAMBRIDGE COMPANION TO FEMINIST ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WOMEN AND ISLAMIC LITERARY THEORY. Rooney, Ellen, ed. Cambridge CULTURES: FAMILY, BODY, SEXUALITY AND University Press, 2006. HEALTH. Joseph, Suad and others, eds. Brill, 2006.

CAPITALIZING ON THE CURSE: THE BUSINESS EURIPIDES MEDEA. Collier, Michael and Machemer, OF MENSTRUATION. Kissling, Elizabeth Arveda. Lynne Georgia, trans. Oxford University Press, 2006. Reiner, 2006. FINALLY FEMINIST: A PRAGMATIC CHRISTIAN COLORED AMAZONS: CRIME, VIOLENCE, AND UNDERSTANDING OF GENDER. Stackhouse, John G. BLACK WOMEN IN THE CITY OF BROTHERLY Jr. Baker Academic, 2005. LOVE, 1880–1910. Gross, Kali N. Duke University Press, 2006. FOREIGN BABES IN BEIJING: BEHIND THE SCENES OF A NEW CHINA. DeWoskin, Rachel. W.W. CREATING CHOICE: A COMMUNITY RESPONDS Norton, 2005. TO THE NEED FOR ABORTION AND BIRTH CONTROL, 1961–1973. Cline, David P. Palgrave GENDER AND THE DIGITAL ECONOMY: Macmillan, 2006. PERSPECTIVES FROM THE DEVELOPING WORLD. Ng, Cecilia and Mitter, Swasti, eds. Sage, 2005. CREATING THE FICTIONAL FEMALE DETECTIVE: THE SLEUTH HEROINES OF BRITISH WOMEN GENDER MAINSTREAMING WITHIN THE WRITERS, 1890–1940. Kungl, Carla T. McFarland, 2006. AFRICAN UNION (AU): A PROPOSED FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION. Chesoni, Atsango and DICTIONARY OF WOMEN WORLDWIDE: 25,000 others Wandia, Mary, ed. FEMNET, 2005. WOMEN THROUGH THE AGES. Commire, Anne and Klezmer, Deborah, eds. Yorkin/Thomson Gale, 2007. GENDER REGIMES IN TRANSITION IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE. Pascall, Gillian and Kwak, Anna. Policy Press, 2005.

Page 46 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Books and AV Received

GLOBAL FEMINISM: TRANSNATIONAL WOMEN’S LIVING ON THE BOUNDARIES: EVANGELICAL ACTIVISM, ORGANIZING, AND HUMAN RIGHTS. WOMEN, FEMINISM AND THE THEOLOGICAL Ferree, Myra Marx and Tripp, Aili Mari, eds. New York ACADEMY. Creegan, Nicola Hoggard and Pohl, Christine University Press, 2006. D. InterVarsity, 2005.

GOLDEN MOUNTAIN: BEYOND THE AMERICAN THE LOST GIRLS. Hendler, Lin. Silver Light, 2006. DREAM: A MEMOIR. Kai, Irene. Silver Light, 2004. MAINSTREAMING MIDWIVES: THE POLITICS OF GRASS-ROOTS NGOS BY WOMEN FOR WOMEN: CHANGE. Davis-Floyd, Robbie and Johnson, Christine THE DRIVING FORCE OF DEVELOPMENT IN Barbara, eds. Routledge, 2006. INDIA. Handy, Femida and others. Sage, 2006. MAKING TIME: LILLIAN MOLLER GILBRETH—A HANDBOOK OF GENDER AND WOMEN’S LIFE BEYOND ‘CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN.’ STUDIES. Davis, Kathy and others, eds. Sage, 2006. Lancaster, Jane. Northeastern University Press; distr. University Press of New England, 2004. HISTORICAL DICTIONARY OF LESBIAN LITERATURE. Miller, Meredith. Scarecrow, 2006. MINING WOMEN: GENDER IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A GLOBAL INDUSTRY, 1670 THE HOUSE ON LIPPINCOTT. Burstow, Bonnie. TO Inanna, 2006. 2005. Gier, Jaclyn and Mercier, Laurie, eds. Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. IN AN IRON GLOVE. Martin, Claire Trans. by Philip Stratford. University of Ottowa Press, 2006. ON ACCOUNT OF SEX: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN IN THE NAME OF FRIENDSHIP. French, Marilyn. LIBRARIANSHIP 1988–2002. Kruger, Betsy and Larson, Feminist Press/CUNY, 2005. Catherine, eds. Scarecrow, 2006.

JANE FONDA’S WORDS OF POLITICS AND THE PURE GOOD, DRINK, AND DRUG PASSION. Hershberger, Mary, ed. New Press, 2006. CRUSADERS, 1879–1914. Goodwin, Lorine Swainston. McFarland, 2006. KITARO PRESENTS SPIRITUAL GARDEN (AUDIODISC), Kitaro Domo Records, 2006. A PURSE OF HUMOROUS VERSE FOR THE JEWISH WOMAN. Kruger, Mollee Gold, Doris B, ed. Biblio, LATINAS IN THE UNITED STATES: A HISTORICAL 2005. ENCYCLOPEDIA. Ruiz, Vicki L. and Korrol, Virginia Sánchez Korrol. Indiana University Press, 2006. THE RED BOOK: A DELICIOUSLY UNORTHODOX APPROACH TO IGNITING YOUR DIVINE SPARK. LESBIAN ACADEMIC COUPLES. Gibson, Michelle and Beak, Sera. Jossey-Bass/Wiley, 2006. Meem, Deborah T, eds. Harrington Park/Haworth, 2005. THE RULE OF MARS: READINGS ON THE LESBIAN DETECTIVE FICTION: WOMAN AS ORIGINS, HISTORY AND IMPACT OF AUTHOR, SUBJECT AND READER. Betz, Phyllis M. PATRIARCHY. Dr. Biaggi, Cristina, ed. Knowledge, Ideas McFarland, 2006. & Trends, 2003.

LESBIAN WIDOWS: INVISIBLE GRIEF. Whipple, SEARCHING THE SOUL OF ALLY MCBEAL: Vicky. Haworth, 2006. CRITICAL ESSAYS. Watson, Elwood, ed. McFarland, 2006.

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 47 Books and AV Received

SEXUAL HARASSMENT DECISIONS OF THE WHAT DO YOU SEE? Kai, Irene. Silver Light, 2006. UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT. Harrison, Maureen and Gilbert, Steven. Excellent, 2006. WINNING THE VOTE: THE TRIUMPH OF THE AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT. SHAMELESS: SEXUAL DISSIDENCE IN AMERICAN Cooney, Jr. Robert P. J. American Graphic, 2005. CULTURE. Stein, Arlene. New York University Press, 2006. WOMEN EMERGING. Pelan, Rebecca and Hayes, Alan, eds. Women’s Studies Centre, 2005. SHARED HISTORIES: TRANSATLANTIC LETTERS BETWEEN VIRGINIA DICKINSON REYNOLDS WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS (VIDEO), Riley, Jocelyn AND HER DAUGHTER, VIRGINIA POTTER, 1929– producer. Her Own Words, 2005. 1966. Reynolds, Virginia Dickinson and Potter, Virginia Potter, Angela, ed. University of Georgia Press, 2006. WOMEN IN ELECTRONICS (VIDEO), Riley, Jocelyn producer. Her Own Words, 2006. SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING BOLD: BRIDAL SHOWERS AND BACHELORETTE PARTIES. WOMEN IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY Montemurro, Beth. Rutgers University Press, 2006. (VIDEO), Riley, Jocelyn producer. Her Own Words, 2005.

STORYTELLING IN CAMBODIA. Schneberg, Willa. WOMEN THROUGH THE LENS: GENDER AND CALYX, 2006. NATION IN A CENTURY OF CHINESE CINEMA. Cui, Shuqin. University of Hawaii Press, 2006. STRIPPED: INSIDE THE LIVES OF EXOTIC DANCERS. Barton, Bernadette. New York University WOMEN VAUDEVILLE STARS: EIGHTY Press, 2006. BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILES. Fields, Armond. McFarland, 2006. SWOONING BEAUTY: A MEMOIR OF PLEASURE. Frueh, Joanna. University of Nevada Press, 2006. WOMEN’S ROLES AND STATUSES THE WORLD OVER. Hepburn, Stephanie and Simon, Rita J. Lexington/ TAINTED MILK: BREASTMILK, FEMINISMS, AND Rowman and Littlefield, 2006. THE POLITICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION. Boswell-Penc, Maia. State University of WRITING AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN: AN New York Press, 2006. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LITERATURE BY AND ABOUT WOMEN OF COLOR. Beaulieu, Elizabeth Ann, ed. THIS IS ALL: THE PILLOW BOOK OF CORDELIA Greenwood, 2006. KENN. Chambers, Aidan. Amulet, 2006.

Page 48 Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) S U B S C R I P T I O N F O R M

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UW System Women’s Studies Librarian 430 Memorial Library 728 State Street Madison, WI 53706 http://www.library.wisc.edu/libraries/WomensStudies/

Feminist Collections (v.27, nos.2–3, Winter–Spring 2006) Page 49 Women’s Studies International (WSI) covers the core disciplines in women’s studies to the latest scholarship in feminist research. WSI supports curriculum development in the areas of sociology, history, political science & economy, public policy, international relations, arts & humanities, and business and education. Nearly 800 sources includes: journals, newspapers, newsletters, bulletins, books, book chapters, proceedings, reports, dissertations, theses, NGO studies, important websites & web documents, and grey literature. Over 2,000 periodical sources are represented and include ISSNs.

Subject coverage includes: • feminist studies - theory & history • law & legislation • women’s liberation • family & relationships • art, language & culture • women’s rights & suffrage movement • racial & ethnic studies • literary criticism • psychology & body image • sexuality & sexology • modern period • political & social activism • developing countries • employment, workplace • Victorian period • mental & physical health • women in development harassment • historical studies • violence & abusive relationships • social welfare & socioeconomics • lesbianism • girl studies • prejudice & gender discrimination • women and the media • reproductive rights • marriage & divorce

Over 370,000 records drawn from a variety of landmark women’s studies indexes & databases.

Women Studies Abstracts (1984–present) was edited by Sara Stauffer Whaley and provides more than 74,000 records. Women’s Studies Bibliography Database Publications indexed in this database cover a wide range of social science disciplines including anthropology, sociology, social work, psychology, health sciences, education, economics, law, history, and literary works. Source documents include related websites, internet documents, professional journals, conference papers, books, book chapters, selected popular literature, government reports, discussion & working papers and other sources. Enhanced sub-sets of records from U.S. government databases and other ﬁ les are included to make WSI as comprehensive as possible. This ﬁ le of 212,000+ records is produced by NISC with contributions by many individuals.

Women’s Studies Database (1972–present) is compiled by Jeanne Guillaume, Women’s Studies Collection Librarian of New College, University of Toronto; WSD provides more than 157,000 records drawn from 125 journals worldwide.

Women Studies Librarian — Four fi les from the University of Wisconsin: New Books on Women & Feminism (1987–present) is the complete guide to feminist publishing. WAVE: Women’s Audiovisuals in English: A Guide to Nonprint Resources in Women’s Studies (1985–1990) is a guide to 803 feminist fi lms, videos, audiocassettes, and fi lmstrips. Women, Race, & Ethnicity: A Bibliography (1970–1990) is an annotated, selective bibliography of 2,458 books, journals, anthology chapters, and non-print materials. The History of Women and Science, Health, and Technology: A Bibliographic Guide to the Professions and the Disciplines (1970–1995, selective coverage) is an excellent tool for curriculum development, providing 2,380 records from biographical and historical books and articles.

MEDLINE Subset on Women (1964–2000) has 46,846 abstracts. The MEDLINE Subset on Women is part of the MEDLINE database from the National Library of Medicine. With an emphasis on the health and social concerns of women in the developing world, this subset includes many journals, reports, books, and published and unpublished papers, previously not indexed in WSI.

Women of Color and Southern Women: A Bibliography of Social Science Research (1975–1995) was produced by the Research Clearinghouse on Women of Color and Southern Women at the University of Memphis in Tennessee and provides over 7,600 citations on 18 different ethnic groups.

Women’s Health and Development: An Annotated Bibliography (1995) provides 200 records drawn mainly from English-language journals and other holdings of the World Health Organization library in Geneva.

for a free trial www.nisc.com/Gender NISC National Information Services Corporation 3100 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 • phone +1 410 2430797, fax +1 410 2430982 [email protected]