Women's Studies Mission Statement

The field of Women's Studies is interdisciplinary. Calling upon such fields as history, economics, psychology, health, music, and literature, Women's Studies seeks to understand the position of women in society. The interdisciplinary nature of the Women's Studies fosters an active examination of the varying influences upon women's and men's lives such as race, class, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, and age. The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Women's Studies program provides students an opportunity to think about the construction and influences of gender in contemporary society, to discover the historical factors that have shaped the current status of women from all backgrounds and countries, and to explore paths to achieve equality for all people.

Each Women’s Studies course taught, whether a WMS listing alone or a cross-listed course, engages with at least one, if not two, of the following objectives:

• To provide students with knowledge of feminist theory, the history and development of women’s movements, and women’s contributions to culture and society in the United States and internationally;
• To share with students an understanding of the various feminist perspectives within and across disciplines and the role that feminist theory and practice play in broadening and restructuring the disciplinary frameworks;
• To help students recognize the cross-cultural/global context of Women’s Studies and comprehend issues affecting women in different cultural, economic, religious, ethnic, and class settings;
• To give students an awareness of the connection between gender oppression and racism and other forms of oppression;
• To help students develop the ability to outline potential strategies for the remedy of social injustice and design agendas for positive individual and collective action to support social change.