A little effort

Reblogged from Feminist Philosophers:

There’s a great comment from Ned Markosian buried in the discussion on the Ammonius Foundation thread about how a little bit of outreach or encouragement to female philosophers can go a long way. So to keep it from staying buried, I’m giving it a post all its own: I think it is worth keeping in mind that it takes only a little bit of outreach effort to ensure that a healthy number of women submit papers to a conference, apply for a grant, etc. The program committee for the Bellingham Summer Philosophy …

New website for APA Committee on Status of Women

Reblogged from Feminist Philosophers:

From Peggy DesAutels: The APA Committee on the Status of Women (CSW) has launched a new, stand-alone website. When exploring the new CSW website, be sure to click on “Posters and Merchandise” to find out more about the CSW “Poster Project” that Peggy DesAutels, Kate Norlock, and Jenny Saul are working on.  They hope that as many women philosophers (any woman in philosophy with a PhD) as possible will send in photos.  Don’t count on the three of them to know everyone!!!  They are quite excited by these …

What Rutgers is doing about what it’s like

Setting up a pretty amazing website describing all the stuff they’re doing. Check it out.

We’re getting women grad students together socially

In my department, the female grad students have begun meeting regularly. We get together on a Friday or Saturday night at someone’s apartment and spend a couple of hours socializing and discussing our experiences as women in philosophy. The great thing about our group is that we have a lot of fun. I think we all find it relieving to be in a room that is primarily female after so many seminars, talks, and conferences comprised mostly of men.

I also think it’s actually important for women in philosophy to take time to enjoy each others’ company. Friendship is an important factor in an academic community. Unfortunately, sexual politics prevent some sorts of friendly interactions between men and women. When departments are largely male, this leads to the exclusion of women, often through no fault of the parties involved. One solution is for women to be active in building friend groups within philosophy – which is just what we’re about.

Get together!

In my department, the female grad students have begun meeting regularly. We get together on a Friday or Saturday night at someone’s apartment and spend a couple of hours socializing and discussing our experiences as women in philosophy. The great thing about our group is that we have a lot of fun. I think we all find it relieving to be in a room that is primarily female after so many seminars, talks, and conferences comprised mostly of men. I also think it’s actually important for women in philosophy to take time to enjoy each others’ company. Friendship is an important factor in an academic community.

When departments are largely male, this leads to the exclusion of women, often through no fault of the parties involved. One solution is for women to be active in building friend groups within philosophy – which is just what we’re about.

Progress?

Am I dreaming or is there a big improvement lately in the number of women who are keynote speakers for graduate student conferences? I confess that I delete the messages quickly, but I’m anecdotally struck (if that’s an expression) by an increase. Has the gendered conference campaign had some impact at this level?

What PIKSI is doing about what it’s like

PIKSI is currently accepting applications for the 2012 institute!

This seven-day institute is designed to encourage undergraduate students from under-represented groups to consider future study in the field of philosophy. PIKSI will emphasize the on-going project of greater inclusiveness that is transforming the discipline, inviting students to be participants in the conversation.

PIKSI will be permanently housed at the Rock Ethics Institute on the campus of the Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania. The director and the theme will change on a regular basis.

If you know promising undergraduate women or men from underrepresented groups such as African Americans, Chicano/as and Latino/as, Native Americans, Asian Americans, LGBT persons, economically disadvantaged communities, and people with disabilities, please call this program to their attention. In addition, please consider serving as their “sponsor.” Faculty sponsors mentor students, helping them to prepare their applications, and, when possible and appropriate, work with the students after the Summer Institute to help further the gains the students have made.

Transportation to and from the institute, room and board, and a small stipend will be provided for participants. While we expect that most students will come from four-year colleges, promising students from two-year institutions are also welcome.

What Renford Bambrough Did About What It’s Like

<a href=”http://www.newappsblog.com/2011/11/women-in-philosophy-science-and-engineering.html#more”>New Apps has a lovely post up:</a>

<blockquote>The point “there are tons of top scholars in this field who are women” reminded me of what Renford Bambrough once did, as editor of the journal Philosophy. There were then (as there are now) ‘tons of top scholars’ in philosophy who are women. He had some papers by women ready for publication in the next issue, and he saw that, with some other accepted papers, that had been scheduled for later publication, he could (by altering date of publication) publish an all-women issue. The point was to bring out that we don’t notice an all-men issue of a philosophy journal. Publishing an all-women issue brings to our attention our failure to notice that all the authors of papers in some issue of a journal are men, our taking that to be just normal and unexceptionable. He should be regarded as an honorary posthumous member of the GCC. (The issue was vol. 53, no. 204, in 1978.)</blockquote>

 

 

Taking gender equality seriously

I just want to say thanks to all the folks who are doing something about what it’s like for women in philosophy- whether they realize it or not.

Recently, a fellow student went to a professor when he thought myself and some other female graduate stuents were being treated unfairly on account of our gender; I’ve noticed one of my professors regularly makes use of female pronouns in class; in a reading group I participate in (as the only female), a fellow participant pointed out that an example in a paper we were reading was rather sexist, and another raised an objection to an argument, citing feminist philosophers; and one of the upper-year female graduate students has made an effort to reach out to the new female students in the program, and has made her help available should we need it.

Knowing that I have colleagues that take women seriously, that take feminist philosophy seriously, and that take gender equality seriously, makes it that much more bearable when facing those who don’t. So, thank you!

“Truth Values”: the Performance

For the logicians who read this blog, and other interested parties see:

“Truth Values: One Girl’s Romp Through M.I.T.’s Male Math Maze

Created as a response to former Harvard President Lawrence Summers’ now infamous suggestion that women are less represented than men in the sciences because of innate gender differences, Truth Values: One
Girl’s Romp Through M.I.T.’s Male Math Maze is a true-life tale that offers a humorous, scathing, insightful and ultimately uplifting look at the challenges of being a professional woman in a male-dominated field. Performed barefoot on a bare stage with only a chair and small table, writer/performer and “recovering mathematician” Gioia De Cari brings to life more than 30 characters in a hilarious and deeply touching performance that has earned raves from critics and stirred audiences to standing ovations.

Truth Values is an ideal conversation starter about issues concerning women in math and science. An impressive collection of academic luminaries has been attracted to participate in talk-backs held thus far, including Michael Sipser, Department Chair, Mathematics, M.I.T.; Nancy Hopkins, Professor of Biology, M.I.T.;
Melissa Franklin, Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics, Harvard; Margaret Geller, Senior Scientist, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory; Abigail Stewart, Professor of Psychology and Women’s Studies, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, and Virginia Valian, Professor of Psychology, Hunter College, and author of Why So Slow?
The Advancement of Women.