CAPTIMES, October 10,1996 Dr. Linda Kerber speaks about history from the pink margin Sherry M. Bartush Contributor During her visit to Penn State Harrisburg (PSH) on Sept 17, Dr. Linda Kerber spent a class period speaking to students taking Women's Studies 315, taught this semester by Dr. Rie Geutzler. The meeting provided an assorted group of students and faculty with the rare chance to engage in con versation with a noted historian. Dr. Kerber shared a brief overview of her involvement in the establishment of Women's Studies as a viable course of study. She described herself as a member "of the first wave of the second wave of feminists". Kerber's description refers to the feminist activists of the 70s as the "second wave:" most of them were white, middle class women who had graduat ed from college. The "first wave," she said, were the suffragists who led the prolonged campaign for women's right to vote that culminated in the rat ification of the nineteenth amendment on August 26, 1920. Members of the "third wave" comprise the cur rent ranks of activists If you are at least 18 years of age, can lift 60 pounds, and are able to work 5 days a week PART-TIME, YEAR-ROUND, then start earning a high hourly rate right away! We need your help with loading, unloading, and sorting packages at our Lewisberry location. You'll enjoy: $9-$9.50/hr. to start • $.50 pay raise after 90 days • weekly paychecks tuition assistance (additional 500/hr. credit toward tuition after 30 days) a non-union work environment • paid holidays after one year Or, stop by our facility at 510 Industrial Drive, Lewisberry, PA (Exit 15 off 1-83, follow the signs) and fill out an application between BAM and 4PM, Mon-Fri. RPS is an equal opportunity employer. whose focus is wider than their predecessors: this group attempts to represent a philosophy of inclusion. Kerber said third wave activists emphasize the impor tance of a global move ment that strives to include women of all races, classes, ages and sexual orientations and to address their unique con cerns. Kerber explained the parallel between the periods of women's intense political activity ( the three waves) and the corre sponding demand for retrieval of their history. She noted that prior to 1970 the most recent books to focus on women and their position in relation to cultural institutions were pub lished in the 30s. Kerber went on to describe the period from 1945-1968 as a pro longed lull during which women's political roles were defined solely in service to men; she stressed that women were denied access to both his torical and contemporary role model of political autonomy. To further amplify that point, she relayed anecdotes that colleagues had shared with her regarding their frustrated attempts to examine women's issues 111 in their graduate pro grams; the students were advised by their professor to abandon those plans as they did not reflect legiti mate scholarship. The young historians were also cautioned that no publisher would publish such "trivial topics." While some aca demic scholars continue to view Women's Studies as a temporary phenome non, Kerber points to her text's four revised edi- tions as proof of the per manence and validity of her work Unlike many history books that present an exclusively male per spective with an accom panying emphasis on national entities, wars, and conquests; Linda ker ber and her co-author, Jane Sharron De Hart have assembled a text, "Women's America," that examines the inter-relat edness of politics, eco nomics, ideology, and biology in women's lives. Each successive edition has included new research and provides more examples of the uniqueness of women's historical perspective, she said. In the most recent work, the authors reveal the double stan dard of immigration laws that existed from 1907- 19305; immigrant wives of native born men were - '-'..' :' .7 .e ' automatically accorded full citizenship, while native born women who married immigrants were automatically deprived of their citizenship. For women, the personal is indeed the political when power derives from gender experience, but the histo rian repeatedly reiterated her and her co-author's commitment to demon strating the strength and resilience of women in dealing with the inequities they encounter rather than portraying them as passive victims. Linda Kerber closed by stating that feminist historians write history differently than most of their colleagues because they eliminate the absolute divisions of "we" and "they". Since their consciousness of their position of "other ness" has already placed them outside the cultural center, they are more inclined to deconstruct the obvious and explore the hidden agendas that underlie political reali ties. Certainly, she validated my girlish per ception that women had been banished from the cultural center featured in my history books and that somewhere beyond the main stream I would find them in the pink margin. NEWS Dr. Linda K Kabcr, pirsidcnt at the Onvinhritkin d Amaicsn Historkm sisitcd PSH Sept. 17. In addition to mcct - ing with studcnts in the womcn's studies dam, she also icc - tured at 7 p.m. in the Gallery Lounge, where she resented, `A Constitutional /14ght to be Ladies: Women, Citizenship EMI Obligation." This event mai prcxntcd by The American Studies l'irlmim, Humanities Division, and Office of r i Mr• members explained the voting procedure, handed out summaries of the candidates' platforms and encouraged passing stu dents to participate in the event. According to SGA members, this approach was difficult to ignore and most students took the time to fill out the somewhat complicat ed form. Fewer than 300 students officially voiced their opinions regarding the candidates for Junior Senator at Large, Junior Senator of Public Policy and Junior Senator for the School of Business. Those that voted elected Paul Feenstra, Kristen Lynn McGlennen and Mike Smith Junior Senator at Large and business man agement major Paul Feenstra says he will rep resent the entire junior S9-59.50/hr. I 1 dAs A Caliber System Company Dr. Linda K. Kcrbcr (ccntcr) with Dcb Bicc, Pete Fabricy, Kristic Chambcrs and Chrbtcna Bowman. student body. In his published platform he highlighted his ability to "examine the needs of the part-time and adult students, as well as the traditional students." As a night stu dent, Feenstra says he will be exposed to those non-traditional students who often feel ostracized from the rest of the University community and hopefully he will be able to encourage more of them to participate in campus activities. The new Junior Senator of Public Policy, Kristen Lynn McGlennen, cited her prior experience with the SGA at Delaware Valley Community College (DVCC) as a leading advantage. "I have many ideas for the program regarding Public Policy/Criminal Justice such as getting more stu dents involved in this program," said McGlennen in her sub mitted platform. A for mer President of the Criminal Justice Club at DVCC, McGlennen says she brings knowledge of student organizations to her new PSH position. The final posi tion was that of Junior Senator for the School of Business which Mike Smith will be filling. A marketing major, Smith described himself as "a compassionate individual seeking to interact with student government." During his term, Smith says he hopes to raise the levels of student con- sciousness and responsi bility. There remains one opening on the SGA Board which is the posi- MIIII•••1111•••11 : irrapif al .• .• u a im e s llication dates Issue Date Deadline Aug. 29 Aug. 22 Sept. 19 Sept. 12 Oct. 10 Oct. 3 Oct. 31 Oct. 24 Nov. 21 Nov. 14 rr - :Kates Price $ll5 $220 $420 10% discount for contract of 2 or more issues 5% discount for first time advertisers 25% discount for all university clubs, tion of Secretary In the absence of a candidate, the SGA accepted write-in votes for this seat. Seven votes are required for any one individual to be declared the winner in this man- Although she was not permitted to identify the student, Woodley did state that one individual had received multiple write in votes, but less than the required seven. The SGA is accepting applications for this position and anyone interested should imme diately contact Woodley at 948-6137. The SGA will then screen all applicants to evaluate their qualifi cations and announce its decision at a later date. Size Sixteenth Page Eighth Page Quarter Page Half Page Full Page organizations, & offices
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