Who's Afraid of Women's Studies? : Feminisms in Everyday Life

An overview of the central themes of women's studies, suitable for introductory reading in undergraduate courses or for a general audience's introduction to the meaning of feminism and its relevance as a progressive force in society.

In Who''s Afraid of Women''s Studies? the authors ask why there persists a fear of feminism and women''s studies in the academy. Rogers and Garrett remind us that this field came into being as the result of women''s practical efforts of advocacy and activism, to represent marginalized, excluded, and silenced voices. They explain the complex relationship between feminism, women''s studies, and their deradicalized ''offspring''—gender studies. Six broad topics that have dominated the field over the past twenty-five years are examined in individual chapters: girls'' and women''s bodies, anger and desires, sexuality, identity politics, insider backlash, and feminist methods. The authors challenge women and men alike to reevaluate the concepts and analytical tools available in women''s studies that are so uniquely oriented to understanding women''s everyday lived experiences. They demonstrate how its rich historical and social analyses are the basis for a passionate scholarship, one that builds bridges between theory and practice to transform communities, women''s organizations, and social movements. This new book will be a stimulating overview of women''s studies, gender studies, and feminist theory, as well as a concise introduction to supplement standard texts or anthologies.