30 Years of Collecting in …

Women's Studies

The first Women’s Studies unit was offered to students at Murdoch University in 1975. “Woman in Society” aimed to “develop in both female and male students an understanding of the way in which a woman is defined by her society, and of the biological nature of woman as distinct from that of man.” This initial unit proved very popular and later developed into a programme of study which was called Women’s Studies.

Murdoch University was alternative, not only in the sorts of courses that were offered, but also flexibility in ways of studying and in the sorts of students who were attracted to study. Women’s Studies fitted well with the ethos and direction of early Murdoch philosophy. One of the University’s educational objectives was “to encourage students to develop a rational and informed awareness of the problems which confront the world today”. The University encouraged mature aged students and women in particular to take up formal education and was ahead of its time in allowing alternative entry without formal qualifications. Students at Murdoch had to undertake a “Trunk” course, which later changed to the Foundation Unit. This was often in an area of study different from the “degree course” and allowed students to get an understanding and insight into university study across a broad subject area.

Traditional courses of study often said little about women or indeed questioned the role of men. Many attitudes and ideas were built on assumptions often through the experiences and views of men. Women’s Studies was able to draw on students' personal experience and place it within an academic context using the growing theoretical concepts of feminism. Students were able to study externally including enrolling in units at Deakin University which gave a greater breadth of subject and academic expertise.

The books chosen to represent 30 years of collecting in this subject area are wide and diverse to reflect the course material. There are some authors who could not be omitted such as Juliet Mitchell, Bell Hooks, Shulamith Firestone, Elaine Showalter, Mary Daly, Germaine Greer, Anne Summers and Jocelyn Scutt. Murdoch has been very lucky to have some inspiring academics whose works are included such as Cora Baldock and Pat Jallard. Books selected cover employment, poverty, health, family, literature and writing, media and body image, education, aboriginality, law, violence, politics and power, technology and access to information, sexuality and gender studies, environment and ecofeminism, women from other cultures and feminist theories.

Landmark events are covered such as The UN Women’s Decade from 1975-1985, the UN Women’s Conference in Beijing in 1995, and in Australia , Affirmative Action legislation in 1985. Women’s Studies has evolved from grass roots with collectives and consciousness raising. Around the Cauldron reflects some of the energy and enthusiasm of this era and The Coming Out Show on ABC radio aired some of the issues to a wider audience.

There have been some large purchases of feminist historical primary material such as the Women's Studies Research Collections on Microform in Murdoch University Library which includes journals, papers, letters, press cuttings, photographs, pamphlets, essays, speeches, books and archival material. Other purchases include the Virago Modern Classics collection comprising nearly 80 books by early popular women authors.

2006 sees the change from “Women’s Studies” to “Gender Studies”. This is a shift in emphasis which will study the impact gender has in society. The Library collection will continue to grow and develop in tandem with course content and also try to reflect social change.