The Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles Newsletter: Vol. I, No. 2
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NEWSLETTER
The Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles
The Graduate Center 33 West 42nd Street, New York 10036 790-4435
Vol. I, No. 2 Nevember, 1979
Work in Progress
TOWARD AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
Scholarship by and about women needs to be informed by a diversity of
perspectives and experiences. The Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles
offers women within and outside of the University an opportunity to meet and
share their concerns about scholarship, politics, and society. The Center
presently provides a base for activities and a source of new ideas, but it also
has the potential to become a major resource for a national and international
community of women scholars. We have as many questions for the Italian, Mexican,
or French scholar as she has for us. It is in this spirit of international
collaboration that I would like to open discussion on the formation of a center
dedicated to international scholarship and exchange by, for, and about women.
There is no place in the United States organized to facilitate personal and
professional contacts among academic women from widely diverse cultures. In
New York, there is no place where feminist scholars and activists might come
to speak with their counterparts about the current struggles and accomplishments
of women; about innovative research questions and methodologies; about new
theoretical work which could enrich our own. To fill this need, I envision a
space where women intellectuals can teach and learn from each other in an informal
setting.
Such a network could provide visitors with the names of women at CUNY and other
New York universities who speak their language and share their research interests.
It might also provide introductions to women active in many segments of the
Women's Movement, i.e., anti-rape, abortion rights, self-help, tenant organizing,
feminist publishing, etc. An annotated list of libraries and specific collections
pertaining to women and sex roles might also be made available to visiting
scholars. An international exchange could facilitate the translation and
publication of important theoretical and experimental work written by women here
and abroad, and thus insure a wider distribution of new scholarship and criticism
throughout the world.
An international center could provide both foreign and American women scholars
and activists with a friendly base for collaboration and mutual learning. Visiting
scholars might be asked to lecture on a variety of subjects, on an ad hoc basis,
and American scholars could reciprocate. French and Italian women who participated
in an international seminar on Women's History in Paris in Summer 1979 have
expressed their enthusiasm and interest in such a project. I am interested in
hearing the thoughts and suggestions of others interested in developing this idea
into a firm proposal for establishing such a center.
Paula Webster
Research Associate
WOMEN'S STUDIES COMES TO HIGH SCHOOL
The Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education has funded a
project titled "A Brooklyn College Institute in Women's Studies for
Secondary School Faculty". The program was developed jointly by the
School of Education, the Women's Studies Program and John Dewey High
School. Forty high school teachers will attend Brooklyn College in July,
1980, in order to revise existing curriculum in English, history and
modern languages to include a feminist perspective, as well as material
on the contributions of women. For further information, contact the
Project Director, Trudy Berger, at 780-5476.
THE CUNY WOMEN'S COALITION
The CUNY Women's Coalition continues to work to promote the welfare of
women and to support women's studies throughout the university. The |
coalition is supporting a class action suit in federal court, charging
the City University of New York with sex discrimination in all aspects of
employment. It is the largest class action filed by university women.
The group hopes to meet with Mayor Koch in the near future to discuss the
status of women in CUNY. Regular meetings of the coalition are open to
all women (see calendar for details). The Coalition is also planning its
annual spring conference and welcomes ideas and input on it. Contact Lilia
Melani, at 780-5195.
WOMEN'S STUDIES AT HUNTER COLLEGE
The National Endowment for the Humanities has funded a project for Hunter
College faculty to write an interdisciplinary textbook and instructional
manual for an entry level women's studies course. Headed by Sarah Pomeroy,
the project includes the work of Florence Denmark, Dorothy Helly, Nancy
Dean, Ulku Bates, Susan Lees, Joanne MacNamara, E. Dorsey Smith and Sue
Rosenberg Zalk. The Women's Seudses program is also offering 18 courses
this semester, with work on women's health, women and the law, and a Brasher’
course on women in the arts, which features 8 outside speakers. The Women's
Center at Hunter serves as a focus for other activities and gatherings of
students.
BROOKLYN COLLEGE ACTIVITIES
The Women's Studies Program at Brooklyn College is expanding their Ctanteuhas
which now includes a broad range of courses. The enrollment in women's studies
courses now totals 800, an increasing proportion of students. On November 5,
the Women's Studies Program and the Women's Center will host the first Annual
Women's Studies Day. The Women's Center is also offering a series of mini-
courses on the subjects of menopause, body work for large women, Third World
professionals, nuclear energy, and herstory of black women in America. For
more information, call 780-5476 (Women's Studies Program) or 780-5777 (Women's
Center).
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE
We welcome announcements, brief essays, research ideas, job openings and
notices of events for publication in the Newsletter of the Center for the
Study of Women and Sex Roles. Send material by the 15th of each month to:
Martha Nelson, Room 1400, The Graduate Center, 33 West 42 St., New York, 10036.
NOTES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles invites all graduate
students to a meeting and discussion on November 8 at 4 PM. The Directors
and Associates of the Center are interested in talking about the development
of new courses on women's studies and evaluation of current courses, as well
as ways in which the Center can serve the needs of graduate students.
Possible topics are funding for student research, support for new projects,
and increased student participation in the Center. If you are interested
and unable to attend, please stop by the Center.
"Family, Class and the Future" is the title of a talk that will be given by
Renate Bridenthal and Amy Swerdlow on November 16, 8 p.m., at the New York
Marxist School, 151 West 19th Street, 7th Floor. They will offer a class
analysis of the family in the United States and alternatives for the future.
The Seminar on Multi-National Corporations is concentrating on two areas of
investigation: 1) the relationship between pharmaceutical companies and
agencies of population control and the medical profession; 2) the corporate
interests behind the pornography industy. Anyone interested in these or other
topics related to multi-national corporations should contact Ruby Rohrlich
at 874-6884.
The National Assembly on the Future of the Family, sponsored by NOW, will
meet on November 19 at the New York Hilton. The assembly will feature
meetings and speakers, as well as panels on domestic violence, minority
families, legal protection for non-traditional families, divorce and single
parent families. For more information, call 354-1225.
The CUNY Women's Coalition is sponsoring a theatre party on Saturday, November
10. Tickets are still available for "Letters Home” by Emma Leiman Goldemberg.
Send $12.00 to Clara Mellman, Department of Sociology, College of Staten
Island, or call 390-7744.
The Jane Addams Center, a feminist counseling and referral center, has inti-
ated a program to aid battered women in the Emergency Room at St. Luke's
Hospital. The Center is now seeking women to train as "on-call" volunteers
to provide emergency support, information and referrals to battered women.
Call the Jane Addams Center: 964-2826 or write P.O. 848, New York, New
York 10004.
CONDITIONS, a magazine of women's writing with an emphasis on writing by
lesbians, announces the publication of CONDITIONS: FIVE. Guest edited by
Lorraine Bethel and Barbara Smith, the issue is devoted to Black women's
writing, and includes poetry, fiction, journal excerpts, essays, song lyrics
and book reviews. As a source of Black feminist writing, the issue will
be particularly valuable to teachers of women's studies courses. $3.00/issue
(208 pp.); $8.00/subscription (3 issues); $15.00/institutional subscription.
Write: CONDITIONS, P.O. Box 56, Van Brunt Station, Brooklyn, NY 11215.
NOVEMBER 1979
CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF WOMEN AND SEX ROLES
All events will take place at the Center, Room 1400 of the Graduate School
and University Center, unless otherwise noted.
Monday, Nov. 5 7:00 CUNY Women's Coalition meets to discuss the
class action suit. Room 207.
Tuesday, Nov. 6 11:45-1:35 Tuesday Noon Lunch. An informal meeting and
discussion in the Dining Room, 18th Floor. All are welcome.
Wednesday, Nov. 7 3-5. Associates Seminar.
Tuesday, Nov. 13 11:45-1:15 Tuesday Noon Lunch. 18th Floor, Dining Room.
Thursday, Nov. 15 11:30 Film Showing: Blow For Blow. French seam-
stresses take over a factory and try to humanize the workplace.
Third Floor Studio.
Thursday, Nov. 15 12:30 Susan Bourke of Smith College will speak on
"Women of the Andes". Third Floor Studio.
Thursday, Nov. 15 4-6 Conversation Hour. Meeting of Graduate Students
and others interested in the work and programs of the Center.
Refreshments served.
Friday, Nov. 16 3:00 "Women and Health" Seminar meeting. Special
panel on Pregnancy, including:
Barbara Katz Rothman on "Ideologies Surrounding Pregnancy"
Daphne Joslin on "Networks and Support Groups for Pregnant
Women"
Ruby Benjamen on "Occupational Health and Safety Issues For
Pregnant Women"
Mary Brown Parlee on "The Psychology of Pregnancy"
All are welcome to attend. Room 1704.
Tuesday, Nov. 20 11:45-1:3;5 Tuesday Noon Lunch. Dining Room, 18th Floor.
Tuesday, Nov. 27 11:45-1:15 Tuesday Noon Lunch. Dining Room, 18th Floor.
Tuesday, Nov. 29 11:30 Film showing: Household Workers. Domestic
"technicians" talk about their work and discuss problems and
attempts to change working conditions. Third Floor Studio.
The seminar on Feminist Methods of Inquiry will also meet in November. For
the time and date of the meeting, call Trudy Berger, 780-5476.
IMPORTANT NOTICE!
The Center is updating the Newsletter mailing list. If you want to
continue to receive the Newsletter, please fill out this form and
return it to us. Without your updated address, we cannot send you
the next issue.
Return to: The Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles
Room 1400, The Graduate School and University Center
33 West 42nd Street
New York, New York 10036
Name
Old Address
New Address (If CUNY, please use College address)
We welcome comments, criticism, and suggestions for the Newsletter.
Please use the space below to outline your thoughts on the Newsletter
or on the activities and programs of the Center.
NEWSLETTER
The Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles
The Graduate Center 33 West 42nd Street, New York 10036 790-4435
Vol. I, No. 2 Nevember, 1979
Work in Progress
TOWARD AN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK
Scholarship by and about women needs to be informed by a diversity of
perspectives and experiences. The Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles
offers women within and outside of the University an opportunity to meet and
share their concerns about scholarship, politics, and society. The Center
presently provides a base for activities and a source of new ideas, but it also
has the potential to become a major resource for a national and international
community of women scholars. We have as many questions for the Italian, Mexican,
or French scholar as she has for us. It is in this spirit of international
collaboration that I would like to open discussion on the formation of a center
dedicated to international scholarship and exchange by, for, and about women.
There is no place in the United States organized to facilitate personal and
professional contacts among academic women from widely diverse cultures. In
New York, there is no place where feminist scholars and activists might come
to speak with their counterparts about the current struggles and accomplishments
of women; about innovative research questions and methodologies; about new
theoretical work which could enrich our own. To fill this need, I envision a
space where women intellectuals can teach and learn from each other in an informal
setting.
Such a network could provide visitors with the names of women at CUNY and other
New York universities who speak their language and share their research interests.
It might also provide introductions to women active in many segments of the
Women's Movement, i.e., anti-rape, abortion rights, self-help, tenant organizing,
feminist publishing, etc. An annotated list of libraries and specific collections
pertaining to women and sex roles might also be made available to visiting
scholars. An international exchange could facilitate the translation and
publication of important theoretical and experimental work written by women here
and abroad, and thus insure a wider distribution of new scholarship and criticism
throughout the world.
An international center could provide both foreign and American women scholars
and activists with a friendly base for collaboration and mutual learning. Visiting
scholars might be asked to lecture on a variety of subjects, on an ad hoc basis,
and American scholars could reciprocate. French and Italian women who participated
in an international seminar on Women's History in Paris in Summer 1979 have
expressed their enthusiasm and interest in such a project. I am interested in
hearing the thoughts and suggestions of others interested in developing this idea
into a firm proposal for establishing such a center.
Paula Webster
Research Associate
WOMEN'S STUDIES COMES TO HIGH SCHOOL
The Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education has funded a
project titled "A Brooklyn College Institute in Women's Studies for
Secondary School Faculty". The program was developed jointly by the
School of Education, the Women's Studies Program and John Dewey High
School. Forty high school teachers will attend Brooklyn College in July,
1980, in order to revise existing curriculum in English, history and
modern languages to include a feminist perspective, as well as material
on the contributions of women. For further information, contact the
Project Director, Trudy Berger, at 780-5476.
THE CUNY WOMEN'S COALITION
The CUNY Women's Coalition continues to work to promote the welfare of
women and to support women's studies throughout the university. The |
coalition is supporting a class action suit in federal court, charging
the City University of New York with sex discrimination in all aspects of
employment. It is the largest class action filed by university women.
The group hopes to meet with Mayor Koch in the near future to discuss the
status of women in CUNY. Regular meetings of the coalition are open to
all women (see calendar for details). The Coalition is also planning its
annual spring conference and welcomes ideas and input on it. Contact Lilia
Melani, at 780-5195.
WOMEN'S STUDIES AT HUNTER COLLEGE
The National Endowment for the Humanities has funded a project for Hunter
College faculty to write an interdisciplinary textbook and instructional
manual for an entry level women's studies course. Headed by Sarah Pomeroy,
the project includes the work of Florence Denmark, Dorothy Helly, Nancy
Dean, Ulku Bates, Susan Lees, Joanne MacNamara, E. Dorsey Smith and Sue
Rosenberg Zalk. The Women's Seudses program is also offering 18 courses
this semester, with work on women's health, women and the law, and a Brasher’
course on women in the arts, which features 8 outside speakers. The Women's
Center at Hunter serves as a focus for other activities and gatherings of
students.
BROOKLYN COLLEGE ACTIVITIES
The Women's Studies Program at Brooklyn College is expanding their Ctanteuhas
which now includes a broad range of courses. The enrollment in women's studies
courses now totals 800, an increasing proportion of students. On November 5,
the Women's Studies Program and the Women's Center will host the first Annual
Women's Studies Day. The Women's Center is also offering a series of mini-
courses on the subjects of menopause, body work for large women, Third World
professionals, nuclear energy, and herstory of black women in America. For
more information, call 780-5476 (Women's Studies Program) or 780-5777 (Women's
Center).
NEWSLETTER DEADLINE
We welcome announcements, brief essays, research ideas, job openings and
notices of events for publication in the Newsletter of the Center for the
Study of Women and Sex Roles. Send material by the 15th of each month to:
Martha Nelson, Room 1400, The Graduate Center, 33 West 42 St., New York, 10036.
NOTES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles invites all graduate
students to a meeting and discussion on November 8 at 4 PM. The Directors
and Associates of the Center are interested in talking about the development
of new courses on women's studies and evaluation of current courses, as well
as ways in which the Center can serve the needs of graduate students.
Possible topics are funding for student research, support for new projects,
and increased student participation in the Center. If you are interested
and unable to attend, please stop by the Center.
"Family, Class and the Future" is the title of a talk that will be given by
Renate Bridenthal and Amy Swerdlow on November 16, 8 p.m., at the New York
Marxist School, 151 West 19th Street, 7th Floor. They will offer a class
analysis of the family in the United States and alternatives for the future.
The Seminar on Multi-National Corporations is concentrating on two areas of
investigation: 1) the relationship between pharmaceutical companies and
agencies of population control and the medical profession; 2) the corporate
interests behind the pornography industy. Anyone interested in these or other
topics related to multi-national corporations should contact Ruby Rohrlich
at 874-6884.
The National Assembly on the Future of the Family, sponsored by NOW, will
meet on November 19 at the New York Hilton. The assembly will feature
meetings and speakers, as well as panels on domestic violence, minority
families, legal protection for non-traditional families, divorce and single
parent families. For more information, call 354-1225.
The CUNY Women's Coalition is sponsoring a theatre party on Saturday, November
10. Tickets are still available for "Letters Home” by Emma Leiman Goldemberg.
Send $12.00 to Clara Mellman, Department of Sociology, College of Staten
Island, or call 390-7744.
The Jane Addams Center, a feminist counseling and referral center, has inti-
ated a program to aid battered women in the Emergency Room at St. Luke's
Hospital. The Center is now seeking women to train as "on-call" volunteers
to provide emergency support, information and referrals to battered women.
Call the Jane Addams Center: 964-2826 or write P.O. 848, New York, New
York 10004.
CONDITIONS, a magazine of women's writing with an emphasis on writing by
lesbians, announces the publication of CONDITIONS: FIVE. Guest edited by
Lorraine Bethel and Barbara Smith, the issue is devoted to Black women's
writing, and includes poetry, fiction, journal excerpts, essays, song lyrics
and book reviews. As a source of Black feminist writing, the issue will
be particularly valuable to teachers of women's studies courses. $3.00/issue
(208 pp.); $8.00/subscription (3 issues); $15.00/institutional subscription.
Write: CONDITIONS, P.O. Box 56, Van Brunt Station, Brooklyn, NY 11215.
NOVEMBER 1979
CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF WOMEN AND SEX ROLES
All events will take place at the Center, Room 1400 of the Graduate School
and University Center, unless otherwise noted.
Monday, Nov. 5 7:00 CUNY Women's Coalition meets to discuss the
class action suit. Room 207.
Tuesday, Nov. 6 11:45-1:35 Tuesday Noon Lunch. An informal meeting and
discussion in the Dining Room, 18th Floor. All are welcome.
Wednesday, Nov. 7 3-5. Associates Seminar.
Tuesday, Nov. 13 11:45-1:15 Tuesday Noon Lunch. 18th Floor, Dining Room.
Thursday, Nov. 15 11:30 Film Showing: Blow For Blow. French seam-
stresses take over a factory and try to humanize the workplace.
Third Floor Studio.
Thursday, Nov. 15 12:30 Susan Bourke of Smith College will speak on
"Women of the Andes". Third Floor Studio.
Thursday, Nov. 15 4-6 Conversation Hour. Meeting of Graduate Students
and others interested in the work and programs of the Center.
Refreshments served.
Friday, Nov. 16 3:00 "Women and Health" Seminar meeting. Special
panel on Pregnancy, including:
Barbara Katz Rothman on "Ideologies Surrounding Pregnancy"
Daphne Joslin on "Networks and Support Groups for Pregnant
Women"
Ruby Benjamen on "Occupational Health and Safety Issues For
Pregnant Women"
Mary Brown Parlee on "The Psychology of Pregnancy"
All are welcome to attend. Room 1704.
Tuesday, Nov. 20 11:45-1:3;5 Tuesday Noon Lunch. Dining Room, 18th Floor.
Tuesday, Nov. 27 11:45-1:15 Tuesday Noon Lunch. Dining Room, 18th Floor.
Tuesday, Nov. 29 11:30 Film showing: Household Workers. Domestic
"technicians" talk about their work and discuss problems and
attempts to change working conditions. Third Floor Studio.
The seminar on Feminist Methods of Inquiry will also meet in November. For
the time and date of the meeting, call Trudy Berger, 780-5476.
IMPORTANT NOTICE!
The Center is updating the Newsletter mailing list. If you want to
continue to receive the Newsletter, please fill out this form and
return it to us. Without your updated address, we cannot send you
the next issue.
Return to: The Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles
Room 1400, The Graduate School and University Center
33 West 42nd Street
New York, New York 10036
Name
Old Address
New Address (If CUNY, please use College address)
We welcome comments, criticism, and suggestions for the Newsletter.
Please use the space below to outline your thoughts on the Newsletter
or on the activities and programs of the Center.
Title
The Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles Newsletter: Vol. I, No. 2
Description
The Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles – now the Center for the Study of Women and Society's (CWSW) – November 1979 Newsletter contained notes, announcements, and information on women's studies programs and events at different City University of New York (CUNY) colleges. This particular Newsletter was critical because it was the first publication to focus on the importance of an international network of feminist scholars. Paula Webster recognized that there was no place in the United States where feminist scholars of different communities could share their work and communicate their findings in a setting that was not strictly academic. She envisioned a space where various pieces pertinent to the international women's movement could be translated, collaborated on, and distributed on a much broader scale. The Newsletter also provided a list of events the Center was offering for November 1979.
Since 1977, the Center for the Study of Women and Society (CSWS), Graduate Center, City University of New York (CUNY) has promoted interdisciplinary feminist scholarship. The Center’s research agenda focuses on the intersectional study of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, class, and nation in societies worldwide. The Center co-sponsors the Women’s Studies Certificate Program and, most notably, hosts the only stand-alone Women’s and Gender Studies MA Program in New York City.
Contributor
Center for the Study of Women and Society
Creator
Center for the Study of Women and Society
Date
November 1979 (Circa)
Language
English
Publisher
Center for the Study of Women and Society
Rights
Copyrighted
Source
Center for the Study of Women and Society
Original Format
Newspaper / Magazine / Journal / Catalogue
Center for the Study of Women and Society. Letter. “The Center for the Study of Women and Sex Roles Newsletter: Vol. I, No. 2.”, CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, accessed March 10, 2026, https://stephenz.tailc22a4b.ts.net/s/cdha/item/1610