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The Women & Gender Studies Student Curated Resources: Feminism

A digital reference for materials pertaining to: feminism, social movements, and gender studies.

Overview of Feminism

This particular section of "The Women & Gender Studies Digital Archive" is reserved entirely for reading materials on the subject of Feminism. All categories of feminism will be covered (as seen below) including: 1st, 2nd, & 3rd wave.

Definition of Feminism: the belief in and advocacy of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes expressed especially through organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests. - Merriam Webster

(1st Wave): a period of feminist activity and thought that occurred during the 19th and early 20th century throughout the Western world. It focused on legal issues, primarily on securing women's right to voteWikipedia Definition

(2nd Wave): a period of feminist activity that began in the early 1960s and lasted roughly two decades. It took place throughout the Western world, and aimed to increase equality for women by building on previous feminist gains. Wikipedia Definition

(3rd Wave): feminist movement that began in the early 1990s, prominent in the decades prior to the fourth waveGrounded in the civil-rights advances of the second waveGen-X third-wave feminists born in the 1960s and 1970s embraced diversity and individualism in women, and sought to redefine what it meant to be a feminist. The third wave saw the emergence of new feminist currents and theories, such as intersectionalitysex positivityvegetarian ecofeminismtrans-feminism, and postmodern feminismWikipedia Definition

(Contemporary Era / 4th Wave): a feminist movement that began around 2012 and is characterized by a focus on the empowerment of women, the use of internet tools, and intersectionality. The fourth wave seeks greater gender equality by focusing on gendered norms and the marginalization of women in society. Wikipedia Definition

 

* May potentially be considered an "extension" of 3rd Wave Feminism by some sources *

Books

* All materials listed in this section have been recommended by A.U. History Professor; Mallory Szymanski.