A new twist on an old tradition...

[kanjiwa]

Originally Posted by WIRE

Women's Studies is indeed a valid and multi-faceted discipline. The people who tend not to think so are generally not women. Don't get me wrong here--I make no claim to have a handle on the proportion of men who look upon it with disdain; it's one of those "most ankle-biters are terriers but not all terriers are ankle biters" things. I don't have any data that support a contention that more terriers bite ankles than don't, but if I see a terrier, I watch 'im closely and I get ready to punt.

I think what bugs me about the name of the field of study is that it strikes me as contrived and exclusionary. I would feel differently if there were also an evolving field of studies on men. That there is not strikes against my fundamental desire for fairness and balance in the world. It's as if "they" whomever "they" might be in this case, have decided that women are odd and obscure enough that they need to be studied, like bugs or some never before seen species of fish which also happens to be on the verge of extinction.

That's not to say that I think it invalid as a field of study. I just think it begs the question of "how can the 'experience of women' be studied without consideration of how 'men' factor into that experience?"

And I think that consideration rolls up tidily into the topic posed in this thread. We are born with something they want. Most societies are structured so that men are awarded more of what is acceptable currency for most public transactions. The "ok" currency of cash, and the taboo currency of female sexuality, and somewhere in there I think there may be a whisper of power, who has it, and from what do they derive it?
Just my thoughts. I really have no opinion on the subject.

[WIRE]

Originally Posted by kanjiwa

I just think it begs the question of "how can the 'experience of women' be studied without consideration of how 'men' factor into that experience?"

I don't know that it doesn't consider how men factor in. History in general focused almost exclusively on men for so long that I can't see how having more diverse specialties could be a bad thing. A whole lot of history was ignored for a long time, so I figure anything that expands the context for understanding our species, both historically and in the present, is positive. Stereotypes propagated by Oxycontin Rush, et al notwithstanding, I have no indication other than isolated, uncorroborated anecdotes that there's a legion of anti-male feminists in Women's Studies departments across the nation plotting mass castration. Not that you implied that; I'm just into hyperbole this morning.

[kanjiwa]

Exactly.

So why not call it "Gender Studies"? Or something more descriptive or revelatory?

[matthewp]

Originally Posted by kanjiwa

The article doesn't mention what she plans to get her Master's in.

It did state her Master's plan... Not too sure about throwing this career choice into the mix of the situation though! Or maybe she's thought about it deeper than we understand.

All she wants to do is get her master's degree in family and marriage counseling and be a psychologist.

[WIRE]

Originally Posted by kanjiwa

Exactly.

So why not call it "Gender Studies"? Or something more descriptive or revelatory?

Because that wouldn't be nearly as specialized. And "gender studies" sounds like a field that investigates Latin nouns.

[Invisigoth]

Does the winner get a "Certificate of Authenticity"?
Do you get to inspect the goods before bidding?

[stephenwc]

Originally Posted by Invisigoth

Does the winner get a "Certificate of Authenticity"?
Do you get to inspect the goods before bidding?

Let me guess. You're worried about this.

Aren't you?



Stephen

[David 1]

This thread started on a nice topic, and then it went all educational and philosophical. Come on.
Getting back to the original topic, I am no expert, as I have never had to 'pay for it', but I have heard that there are young and expert professionals who offer much better bargains that this young lady.
She did not seem to be that good looking to me but maybe my standards are too high.
250k is still a reasonable chunk of change, isn't it?
dc

[kanjiwa]

Originally Posted by WIRE

"gender studies" sounds like a field that investigates Latin nouns.

Only to one who is unaware of the definition of the word "gender".
Would also indicate initial exposure to the word was in a Spanish as a second language class, a beginning one at that. Afterall, verbs have gender, too.
Once again, exclusionary! therefore misleading!
JMO.

[kanjiwa]

Originally Posted by matthewp

It did state her Master's plan... Not too sure about throwing this career choice into the mix of the situation though! Or maybe she's thought about it deeper than we understand.

I didn't read the whole article. But if she actually says she wants to "get a Masters in family and marriage counseling and be a psychologist" I would wonder if she's actually thought about it at all.

Afterall, one can't be a psychologist without the formal education.

But I think the quality of her thinking was in question from the first thing we knew about her.