Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Fall 1977
Abstract
Women's studies, now in its second phase, is making its presence felt within institutions, developing a new curriculum, and building a new body of intellectual knowledge. Women's studies' original purpose continues: to change the sexist and other biased values, practices, and structures within and outside traditional educational spheres.
How much change has occurred? Impact within colleges, high schools, and women's centers is easier to judge than effect in other arenas . Outside educational institutions, impact may be observed through two channels: first, the ties which programs explicitly make with community groups; second, students who graduate and choose not to continue their formal education. Although we assume that students are changed by their women's studies experience, we often do not know what happens to them after leaving. Do they become involved in social change? Or do they feel their education has not influenced what they are now doing? The answers to these questions measure the strengths and deficiencies of women's studies and provide one solid basis on which to build the curriculum during its second phase.