Duke University Women’s Studies

In "Where Are They Now?" you can see what current and former Women's Studies students are up to...with the assistance of endowment funds generously given by our alumnae, travel awards allow our students to explore opportunities far from Duke.  Listen in on Women's Studies undergrad Neha Sharma's experience at the the Public Leadership Education Network's Women, Law, and Public Policy Seminar in Washington DC.and learn what Jaclyn Dobies and other young feminists are learning about leadership, both with support from the Program in Women's Studies.

Virtually all those who pass through the Program in Women's Studies remark on its value as an intellectual home and the critical importance of the support, mentoring and networking benefits they received.  If this has been true for you then After graduation, become a member of the Friends of Women's Studies network; stay informed of the latest developments in Women's Studies at Duke and participate in activities sponsored by the program for alumnae and current students.

  • Let us know what you're doing and where you are
  • Write something for the newsletter
  • Participate in alumnae events
  • Help us raise funds to support our students and programs 

Friends of Women's Studies

Alumnae/i and interested persons from across the nation may continue their involvement with Duke through Friends of Women's Studies. As a member of the Friends network, you will receive our newsletter (published in November and April), announcements of upcoming symposia, and invitations to programs organized by the Women's Studies Program.You may also contribute to the program through Duke's secure on-line site.  Be sure to specify Friends of Women's Studies in the section marked "Additional/Other Designations."

Council on Women's Studies

By developing greater visibility for the Program on campus and nationally, the Council on Women's Studies worked from 1986 to 2004 to increase knowledge among alumnae and friends about Women's Studies as an interdisciplinary field, and to bring the perspective of Women's Studies scholarship to bear on issues of campus life. In the Council's first decade, it created Friends of Women's Studies (now including approximately 5,000 members) and successfully completed a $1.4 million endowment campaign. Additionally, it organized the first Jean Fox O'Barr symposium on Race and Gender in Global Perspective. Please see the extended article on the Council in the Fall 2004 newsletter (pgs 3-5) for more information on its history, achievements and members.

The Program in Women's Studies remains ever grateful for the Council's determination, dedication, and success at building some of the financial pillars that continue to support the Program in Women's Studies today.

Award Recipient Feature

Rachel Greenspan (PhD Candidate Literature and Certificate in Feminist Studies) surveyed hundreds of popular women’s magazines from the 1940s to the 1980s, focusing on psychoanalytic advice columns and informational articles on psychoanalytic theory, especially the column “Psychoanalysis Will Help You” appeared in Idilio, a pulp magazine targeting adolescent women, from 1949-1951. Rachel was invited to present her paper exploring the relationship between femininity and anxiety as depicted in the column in order to address broader questions about the relationship between psychoanalysis and gender politics in mid-century Argentina. Listen as she talks about her experience at an international conference in Buenos Aires.

Samantha Tropper (T'13, International Comparative Studies and French) is writing an honors thesis about secularism and the wearing of the hijab by Muslim women in France.  She was able to travel to Paris to interview French Muslim women both who wear the headscarf and those who choose not to about their personal stories, thoughts, and perspectives about this controversial topic.  Her total of 19 interviews also included some Muslim men and scholars in this field.  Hear her talk about her experience and listen to some firsthand accounts about this human and women's rights issue.

Women's Studies minor Neha Sharma shares her experiences at PLEN---the Public Leadership Education Network's Women, Law, and Public Policy Seminar in Washington DC, with the support of a travel grant from the Program in Women’s Studies. 

Click here to subscribe to our newsletter and/or our listserv.

Make a gift to Women's Studies at Duke with your credit card at Duke's secure on-line site or by mailing a check to the address below. Please remember to specify Friends of Women's Studies in the section marked "Additional/Other Designations."

The Program in Women's Studies

210 East Duke Building, Box 90760, Durham NC, USA 27708
Phone: 919.684.5683
FAX: 919.684.4652 

How to find us: campus map

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