University of Florida News and Views of The Center for Women’s Studies and Gender Research SPRING 2011 VOLUME 20, ISSSUE 1 From the Director’s Desk Thanks to a lively group of spoke to the history and scholars, headed by Toril current status of modern Moi as keynote lecturer, feminism—or more cor- our conference “Simone de rectly, feminisms. Panelists Beauvoir: Legacies,” was an and audience members exciting and intellectually commented on the slippage stimulating program. between the sophistication Speakers considered Beau- of academic discourse in voir’s life and writing from feminism and the often Inside this issue: many different points of disheartening way that Judith W. Page view: we were all left with a feminism appears (or does Director, CWSGR sense of the place and in- not appear) in public dis- Janis Ian Visits Center 2 fluence of this major intel- course. This past academic year has lect of the 20th century and As a follow up to this pan- been a busy one at the formative voice in feminist Book Nook 3 el, we hosted a group of Center, with various speak- thought. speakers on the state of ers, a major conference, Kovacs Research Funded 3 We also had a large and women in the STEM and two excellent panel enthusiastic audience for (science, technology, engi- discussions. Although it our panel in the fall, neering, and mathematics) Undergrads attend 4 would be impossible in this “Feminist Scholarship disciplines earlier in the space to review everything, FAU Conference Now,” in which a distin- spring, and were pleased to I will reiterate a few of the guished group of scholars learn of the various ways highlights. Reflections of 5 from across the disciplines that institutions are re- Women’s Studies Most sponding to the need to Senior Senior Continued on page 2 Faculty News 6 Spring 2012 Conference Planned Munoz gets McNair 7 After our well-attended Professor Janet Todd, of conference on Simon de Cambridge University and Graduate News 8 Beauvoir, we are once author of Mary Wollstonecraft:, again looking forward to A Revolutionary Life, among a hosting a conference at the wealth of other influential Center on the legacies of publications on 18th and 19th major feminist thinkers and century literature and texts. In honor of the 220th culture, will present the anniversary of the keynote address. In addition publication of Mary to Professor Todd, our Wollstonecraft’s Vindication presenters include Anne of the Rights of Woman, we Mellor (UCLA), Kari Lokke Please mark your calendars will host a conference on (UC-Davis), and Wendy (even ten months early!) February 23-24, 2012 Gunther-Canada (UA- and do plan to attend. entitled “Mary Birmingham), as well as Wollstonecraft: Legacies.” several UF colleagues. NEWS AND VIEWS OF THE CENTER FOR WOMEN’S STUDIES AND GENDER RESEARCH Page 2 From the Director’s Desk, continued. keep women in these fields and United States. We were also new book project. Affiliates Jodi to value their work. Several particularly proud that three Schorb and Benjamin Wise also speakers spoke about the useful- undergraduate majors from the received teaching awards. Angel “Our students at ness of “pipeline programs” Capstone course presented pa- Kwolek-Folland was named designed to attract women to the pers on violence against women Woman of Distinction by UF’s both the field early on and to mentor at the Florida Consortium for Association of Academic Wom- graduate and them through the pipeline, from Women’s and Gender Studies en, and Anita Anantharam re- their undergraduate years Conference in Boca Raton. The ceived a national award for her undergraduate through careers in the STEM dedication of our students, as work as an advisor for the Glob- professions. There was a particu- well as the fact that our major al Living and Learning Commu- levels are lar interest in developing courses has grown to over 60 students, nity. Florence Babb received an in gender and health disparities suggests a healthy future, as does FEO award to support her re- thriving, and have under the auspices of the Center our recruitment of a strong search in Peru. Last but not at UF, and as a start we will offer group of students in the MA least, our office manager Donna played an an NSF-funded course in the fall program for next year. Never- Tuckey has was honored with a important role in entitled “Social and Cultural theless, we still face many chal- Superior Accomplishment Dimensions of Women's Well- lenges related to the difficult Award for staff. We also salute the success of Being.” budgetary times and pressures the accomplishments of our on higher education. friends and affiliates, whose Our students at both the gradu- our programs.” books are represented in our ate and undergraduate levels are Now more than ever, we depend new section, Book Nook, and thriving, and have played an on the expertise and hard work whose dedicated contributions -Judith W. Page, important role in the success of of our core faculty and our affili- to our programs and to teaching our programs. Our graduate ates. I note with pride that Ken- Center Director gender-related courses, help to students have conducted inde- dal Broad received a CLAS sustain us. On behalf of the pendent research on such topics teaching award this year and that Center, thank you! as queer activism in the South Trysh Travis was honored with a and collaboration between the CLAS advising award, as well as National Women’s Studies Asso- a Princeton Library Research ciation and girls’ programs in the Grant in conjunction with her Janis Ian Visits the Center Janis Ian, child-star, songwriter, experience as a musician and asked Ian if she believed that and performer with nine discussed her interaction with men and women approached Grammy nominations, visited men in the music industry. She musical composition differently. Ustler Hall on March 31st to give described the way in which some Another asked her what it was an informal talk to University of men have dismissed her musical like to be a “has been” at the age Florida faculty and students. talent, while others have treated of seventeen. Ian referred back Ian’s visit was sponsored by UF her with a great deal of respect to the importance of art in each Performing Arts. Ian discussed as a fellow artist. Ian has made of her answers, insisting that “art her experiences as a young an effort to reach out to young is the only thing standing musical artist in the 1960s and female musicians, especially between us and chaos.” described the thrill as well as the those in academic settings, who obstacles that accompanied her are still subject to entrenched Contributed by graduate student Janis Ian Speaks to guests in early rise to stardom. stereotypes about women and Kate Klebes Ustler Hall on March 31st music. After her brief and In the spirit of gender studies, engaging talk, Ian opened the Ian focused on her gender floor to questions. One attendee Page 3 VOLUME 20, ISSSUE 1 Book Nook: Recently Published Books by Center Faculty and Affiliates Anita Anantharam, ed. Pamela K. Gilbert, Scholarly and the Domesticated Landscape: Mahadevi Varma: Political Essays and teaching edition of the England’s Disciples of Flora, 1780- on Women, Nation, and Culture, Victorian novel by Rhoda 1870, Cambridge University Zubaan Books and Cambria Broughton, Cometh Up as a Press 2011. Press, 2010. Flower, Broadview Press, 2010. Laura Sjoberg, ed. Gender and Florence Babb, Lola Haskins, Still, the The Tourism International Security: Feminist Mountain (poems) Paper Kite Perspectives, Routledge, 2010, Encounter: Press, 2010, and Fifteen Florida Laura Sjoberg and Sandra Via, Fashioning Latin Cemeteries: Strange Tales Unearthed, American Nations University Press of Florida, eds. Gender, War, and Militarism Praeger Security International, and Histories, 2011. “ Most of my Stanford 2010, and J. Ann Tickner and University Press, Barbara Mennel, co-edited Laura Sjoberg, eds. Feminism supporters and 2010. with Jaimey Fisher, Spatial and International Relations: Turns: Space, Place, and Mobility in Conversations about the Past, Present, source of motivation German Literary and Visual Avraham Balaban, Ten Mothers: and Future, Routledge, 2011. Culture. Amsterdamer Beitraege are past professors Representations of Motherhood in zur neueren and advisors. These Modern Hebrew Fiction (Tel Aviv: Germanistik 75. Hakibbutz Hameuchad, 2010. Amsterdam: individuals have Rodopi, 2010. Diana Boxer, The Lost Art of the taken their time to Good Schmooze: Building Rapport Judith W. Page, and Defusing Conflict in Everyday co-authored with listen to my ideas and Public Talk, 2011. Elise L. Smith, and help guide me in Women, Literature, the right direction, I would be lost today without them. “ Junior Cara Kovacs’ Research Funded by University Scholars Program -Maria Munoz, By Associate Professor Trysh Travis Women’s Studies Major, Cara Kovacs is She has worked at Peaceful Paths coordinator for Le Cercle Français, McNair Scholar. the most recent Domestic Abuse Network as a Cara will be studying French Women’s Child Advocate, and is a Research Language and Culture for 10 Studies major Assistant in Dr. Bonnie Moradi's weeks this summer at the to be selected psychology lab, focusing on Sorbonne. While there, she will Women’s for the sexual, racial, and ethnic minority conduct fieldwork for her USP Studies Major Cara Kovacs University issues and their impact on project, which seeks to identify Scholars personal well-being. She is the the differences in services Program, which funds second author on a paper to be provided to the LGBT independent research by presented at the 2011 Convention community in the United States undergraduates across UF. A of the American Psychological and France, while also examining 2008 graduate of the Dreyfoos Society, “The Internship Supply/ the degree to which different School of the Arts in West Palm Demand Imbalance: Program- government structures and Beach, Cara transferred to UF level Accountability.” degrees of social marginalization after receiving an Associate’s influence the delivery of services Degree from Santa Fe College.