Woman's Studies

Woman's Studies

Woman's studies are at its most basic an examination of the experiences of women. The field place women in the center of inquiry and study. It is important to note that the study is by and for women. Woman are not treated as objects of study but as subjects of study. The field assumes that gender is a central aspect of society and tries to explore and define what it means to be a man or woman in today's society.

In the early sixties it was noticed for the first time the lack or misrepresentation of women in college curriculum. With the increasing Woman's Movement, there came more demand for women on campus, both in the curriculum's and in the departments. Two approaches emerged from these efforts. The first was to add women to the existing curriculum, while keeping the rest of the curriculum basically intact. The second approach was to seriously challenge the curriculum and also created new programs of study. People began questioning the nature of knowledge and how it seemed to enforce male privilege and power. It was from this second approach that woman's studies emerged as a discipline .It offered a perspective that reflects women's lives and concerns.

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