Regarding men’s studies

Firstly, let’s begin with details regarding all the men’s studies centres in Australia: <sound of crickets>

Now, picture this if you will … the University of South Australia considers establishing a number of new courses related to men’s health and well-being. Feminist writer gets wind of this and writes an article dumping on the idea (see articles listed below, and be sure to look at the readers comments). The University gets scared and back-pedals at 100 mph. Bye, bye, men’s studies course – which would have been an Australian first.

Conclusion? Clearly every university should have women’s studies courses because they are a wonderful and necessary initiative. Mens studies courses should, however, be opposed on the basis that they are redundant and wicked and can only serve to foment misogyny and advance the cause of the patriarchy. (Oh, and the same goes for student clubs/associations that focus on men’s issues.)

The solution? For feminists? Obstruct the creation of men’s studies courses, whilst (to avoid accusations of one-upmanship) rename women’s studies centres as gender studies centres. But there was no sudden move to jointly address male issues. No, they simply carried on exactly as before with an overwhelming gynocentric focus interspersed with the occasional message from some male feminist ally such as Michael Flood. Note the example here as to how well this new approach works out.

But back to what happened at the University of South Australia, a story which is told in the articles linked below and in accompanying readers comments:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/lecturers-in-worldfirst-male-studies-course-at-university-of-south-australia-under-scrutiny/story-fni6uo1m-1226800150348

http://www.avoiceformen.com/allnews/university-of-south-australia-pulls-plug-on-male-studies-program/

http://www.avoiceformen.com/feminism/paul-elam-vs-michael-flood-on-male-studies/

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/concern-over-stifled-debate-on-male-studies/story-e6frgcjx-1226807161232#

http://guardianlv.com/2014/01/mens-rights-course-controversy-in-australian-university/

http://judgybitch.com/2014/01/14/male-studies-we-dont-need-male-studies-because-reasons/

University of Sydney Board blocks formation of men’s group (26 September 2014) Also addressed here, here and here, and with an even more patronising article about the proposal here

University: Lads, blokes and jocks not welcome (7 October 2014)

Resurrected from the void: video of feminist opposition to the Simon Fraser University Men’s Center (12 October 2014)

And as for overseas examples of Men’s Studies Centres? Well these tend to feature the examination of men and masculinity through the feminist lens. This article talks about one such place, the Stony Brook University ‘Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities’.

Regarding women’s studies

Let’s now have a look at a listing of women’s studies centres in Australia that were in existence when I first uploaded this post*:

Australian National University – Gender Studies M.Phil and Ph.D in Gender, Sexuality and Culture Australian National University – Gender Relations ProjectCentre for Research for Women (4 Australian universities)Edith Cowan University – Women’s Studies Major Flinders University of South Australia – Women’s Studies Programme Graduate Diploma in Gender and Development and an M.A. in Women’s Studies Macquarie University – Women’s Studies, Gender and Sexuality Program MPhil and PhD in Women’s Studies, Gender and Sexuality Monash University – Centre for Women’s Studies and Gender Research M.A. and Ph.D in Women’s Studies; Masters Qualifying Program University of Adelaide – Gender Studies M.A. and Ph.D. in Gender Studies University of Melbourne – Gender Studies M.A. and Ph.D in Gender Studies University of New England – Women’s and Gender Studies M.A. and Ph.D. in Women’s and Gender Studies University of New South Wales – Women’s and Gender Studies Program M.A. (By Research) and Ph.D. in Women’s and Gender Studies University of South Australia – Research Centre for Gender Studies University of Sydney – Department of Gender Studies MPhil and Ph.D in Gender Studies University of Western Australia – Women’s Studies M.A. and Ph.D. with concentration in Women’s Studies University of Wollongong – Master of Arts in Women’s Studies M.A. in Women’s Studies Victoria University – Gender Studies

(*It is likely that this list will be out-of-date by the time you read this, i.e. there will be even more of these courses out there)

Women’s Studies and Diversity: Where Are the Men? (23 December 2016)

University students doing courses on topics such as rape and misogyny are ‘to be given deadline extensions to help them recover from the upset of lectures’ (28 November 2016) UK

Undoing insularity: A small study of Gender Sociology’s big problem, by Charlotta Stern (Econ Journal Watch, Vol 13, No. 3, September 2016)

Oh, Academia: The best and worst of gender studies papers (28 June 2016)

Apparently my school needs a Women and Gender Studies program “Because two thirds of our student population are female” (6 February 2016) Reddit discussion thread and linked article

What Women’s Studies Teaches (15 January 2016)

How Gender Feminism became the new Creationism (18 December 2014)

Gender bias and science (16 December 2014) Ireland

Shut Up, because Rape (2 October 2014)

Womens and gender studies in Ireland and beyond (16 August 2014)

University shuts down women’s studies centre after ‘How to be a Lesbian’ controversy (19 May 2014) Don’t miss the humorous readers comments

Nordic countries defund gender ideology (12 March 2013)

Why do so few men take gender studies courses? (20 November 2012)

You can’t deny it: Gender studies is full of male-blaming bias (14 September 2011)

10. Myth: Women’s Studies Departments empowered women and gave them a voice in the academy

Fact: Women’s Studies empowered a small group of like-minded careerists. They have created an old-girl network that is far more elitist, narrow and closed than any of the old-boy networks they rail against. Vast numbers of moderate or dissident women scholars have been marginalized, excluded and silenced.

(Essential reading: everything by Camille Paglia; Daphne Patai and Noretta Koertge–Professing Feminism: Cautionary Tales from the Strange World of Women’s Studies; and Christina Hoff Sommers–Who Stole Feminism? How Women have Betrayed Women)

The Girl Hunt: Urban Nightlife and the Performance of Masculinity as Collective Activity (2007) An example of the great stuff produced by those working in the field of gender studies.

And some news from North American, Canada and the U.K

Only University Men’s Officer in U.K. Forced to Step Down After SJW Harassment (26 October 2018)

Hungary bans gender studies from universities (10 August 2018)

Camille Paglia Says that Women’s and Gender Studies Departments Should be Defunded (18 October 2017)

College Gender Gap: Women Earn More Degrees AND Get Special Treatment (31 May 2017)

Public university gave $296,498 to gender equity, LGBTQ centers — $0 to Students for Life: suit (18 May 2017)

University students union blocks move to set up Men’s Rights group (16 May 2017) UK

All-Female Social Groups May Keep ‘Gender Focus’ for at Least Three Years (29 March 2017) USA

Barbara Kay: A man who’ll stand up for the rights of other men (and boys) on campus and in society (21 March 2017)

Should men’s rights groups be allowed on campuses? Panel discussion on CNBC (19 March 2017) Video with related Reddit discussion thread here.

‘Men’s issues must be recognised by universities to address falling numbers’ (12 May 2016) UK

Notable & Quotable: Women, Men and College Degrees: ‘Maybe it’s time to stop taxpayer funding of hundreds of women’s centers’—gender equity in higher education was achieved 30 years ago (1 May 2016)

Columbia should offer a men’s studies course (27 April 2016) See also readers comments. Related Reddit discussion thread here

Change.org petition to Suspend Social Justice Courses (April 2016)

The persecution of Sage Gerard at Kennesaw State University (KSU) (11 March 2016)

University Refuses to Grant Recognition to Men’s Issues Group after Feminists Say it Makes Women Feel Unsafe with related reddit discussion thread here

RSU rejects men’s issues group application (29 October 2015)

Toronto’s first ‘men’s centre’ aware it might ruffle feathers, but insists it isn’t a simple ‘men’s rights association’ (14 November 2014)

George Washington University grad student interviews Sage Gerard (16 October 2014)

Queen’s University incites hatred of male students—Administration looks the other way (16 October 2014)

http://www.thenativecanadian.com/2014/04/hissy-fit-by-cat-loving-feminists-at.html

http://theeyeopener.com/2013/03/new-rsu-policy-challenges-new-mens-issues-group/

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/02/04/barbara-kay-ryerson-drags-mens-issues-group-through-the-wringer/

http://www.avoiceformen.com/feminism/why-is-discussion-of-boys-and-men-opposed/