Women’s Studies’ blog attracts readers from around the world

India, the Philippines, Great Britain and Canada are just a few of the countries of origin for the Women’s Studies Program blog’s readers.

Some of the blog posts have been widely read around the world and have been linked to discuss on popular blogs such as the Feminist Philosophers blog, which has an international presence, according to Women’s Studies Program Chair Catherine Seltzer.

The Women's Studies blog is widely read around the world

Philosophy professor Alison Reiheld’s post “Unamused by My Erasure”: Feminist Selfies and the Politics of Representation”  has been shared 1,500 times while English professor Helena Gurfinkel’s “Masculinity Studies: What Is It, and Why Would a Feminist Care?” has had 4,128 views.

According to Reiheld, the spike in readership both in the U.S. and internationally helps with SIUE’s reputation and helps students who receive SIUE degrees.

Seltzer said the blog came about to showcase the kind of work Women’s Studies faculty and students are doing but also as a digital conversation about diverse topics related to gender, class, race and other social struggles. To think and write about these topics helps boost discussion to challenge structures of power in the political and cultural landscapes that impede social justice, according to Seltzer.

“In America, there are a lot of structures that exist that privilege the affluent white male community,” Seltzer said. “Everyone’s job is to create greater equity to everyone… and we are happy to be contributing to the discussion.”

According to Reiheld, the blog shows the “breadth and depth” of work in the Women’s Studies faculty and uses various fields of expertise to think about real world issues in a way that is accessible to the broader public.

“These are issues that already matter to people, but approached through a lens that can really give people something new to think about,” Reiheld said. “That is why it is important to promote these issues and this approach to the issues on campus and in society in general.”

The blog, according to Seltzer, “really shows the way we are a truly interdisciplinary program.” The last blog posts were written by professors from sociology, criminal justice, psychology, educational leadership, English language and literature, and philosophy.

Two students are scheduled to contribute to the blog, according to Seltzer. Previous posts by students addressed topics such as gender, domestic violence and what it means to be a feminist. According to Reiheld “student blog entries definitely round out the perspective provided by the blog.”

“All of these together make it an excellent way for the public and students to use Women’s Studies in their lived experience,” Reiheld said.

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