Pre-conference Highlights—Friday, February 20, 2004. Admission is free.

Trifles, a play by Susan Glaspell—at 7:30P in Isaacs Auditorium
Written in 1916, it deals with the lives of women in rural Nebraska and remains poignant and relevant. Directed this year by W. Douglas Powers, Department of Communication and Theatre Arts.

Independent Women’s Film Festival—8:30 P until midnight in Isaacs Auditorium
Hosted by Mary Bannon and Cymone Fourshey. A screening of dynamic independent films by internationally know women filmmakers.

Impossible to Forget: The Nazi Camps Fifty Years After: Photography by Michael Kenna
January 24 through March 5, 2004 at the Lore Degenstein Gallery, Degenstein Campus Center.

The Day of the Conference—Saturday, February 21, 2004

Keynote Speaker: Susquehanna University’s Visiting Scholar, Dr. Mary Catherine Bateson
Dr. Bateson's Itinerary

Geisinger Health System and Sunbury Community Hospital, major contributors to this year’s conference, will present a double session on electronic medical records and the empowerment of women.

Informal forums hosted by the Feminist Majority Foundation.

Dr. Dorothy Schwieder’s session entitled “A History Within A History: A Personal Perspective on the History of Women 1969-2000” sponsored by The Women’s Studies Program and Department of Political Science at Susquehanna University.

MAWSA 2004 Concurrent Sessions

Index of Participants

Session 1—Room 217 Apfelbaum Hall 

“Hattie McDaniel and Anna May Wong: Imaging Women of Color in Early American Film”

This paper explores the careers of Hattie McDaniel and Anna May Wong in light of the stereotypes and prejudices of the early twentieth century.  The relationship between social stereotypes toward women of color and the portrayal of these women in film will be discussed.

Genevieve Carminati, Montgomery College, genevieve.carminati@montgomerycollege.com

"Female Frontiers: Contrasts in British and American Utopia Texts by Nineteenth-century Women" This presentation analyzes the differences between the writings of American and British women from the late 19^th to the early 20^th century.  The contrasting views of progress in these works indicate fundamental differences between the outlooks of these women.

Darby Lewes, Lycoming College, lewes@lycoming.edu

“Voices from the Communal Womb”

During time spent in Central America, the presenters gathered testimony from locals on the major social and economic issues of our time.  This presentation will give voice to these people whose opinions may often be overlooked.

Audra St. John, Gettysburg College

Lyndsey Ellis

Moderator: Brian Johnson, Director of Multi-Cultural Affairs, Susquehanna University, johnsonb@susqu.edu

Session 1—Room 239 Apfelbaum Hall 

“2004 Politics: The High Stakes for Women”

This presentation will focus on Pennsylvania National Organization of Women and their attempt to empower women, especially politically.  Presenters will discuss NOW’s efforts to educate women voters, to turn out the feminist vote, prepare feminist candidates to run for office, and to bring women to the nation’s capital to demand Freedom of Choice in April, 2004.

Karen Bojar, Community College of Philadelphia, Philadelphia NOW, kbojar@ccp.edu 

Kathy Miller, Pennsylvania NOW, panow@panow.org

" The Status of Reproductive Freedom in Pennsylvania - The March for Women's Lives"

A report from the Pennsylvania state-wide organizer for the March to Save Women’s Lives

Tammy L. Gavitt, tlgavitt@netzero.com

“A Critical Look at Violence Against Women in Rural Pennsylvania”

The presenters will report the findings of a study that was done by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania to assess the current state of social service funding, judicial response, and related policy.  There will be a comparison of specific items researched between urban and rural areas and among different regions.

Megan Dively, The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, intern2@ruralpa.org

Amy Gimble, The Center for Rural Pennsylvania, intern2@ruralpa.org

Moderator: Richard M. Juang, Susquehanna University,  juang@susqu.edu

Session 1—Room 318 Apfelbaum Hall  

“A History Within A History: A Personal Perspective on the History of Women, 1969-2000”

The presenter will discuss the strides that have been made in the development of gender courses.  She will recall the triumphs and challenges that she personally faced in the development of the academic realm of women’s history and, later, a women’s studies program.

Dorothy Schwieder, Iowa State University, dschwied@iastate.edu

Moderator: Michele DeMary, demary@susqu.edu

WomenSpeak Welcome, Erin Bunger, bunger@susqu.edu

Session 1—Room 319 Apfelbaum Hall 

“Fostering Personal and Creative Involvement in Women in Art, An Advanced Art History/Cultural Analysis Course”

One presenter will discuss the challenges she faces teaching art history at a small liberal arts college with a strong reputation in the sciences.  She will share the ways in which she attempts to and encourage active involvement Women in Art.  A student presenter will share her research – a feminist approach to Botticelli’s Primavera.

Karen Rosell, Juniata College, rosell@juniata.edu

Bridget Boss, Juniata College, brossba0@juniata.edu

“Community Education, Activism, and Art”

The Other Side of the River is an original dramatic performance on the topic of domestic violence based on interviews with survivors of domestic violence, nurses, police officers, and advocates.  The co-authors of this script will discuss the challenges they faced as well as the responses they received from the audience.

Grace Coleman, Crisis Center North, PA Coalition Against Domestic Violence, ccncoleman@aol.com

Carol Schafer, Penn State Beaver, cas33@psu.edu

Moderator: Kara Laskowski, Shippensburg University, kalask@wharf.ship.edu

Session 2—Room 217 Apfelbaum Hall  

“Doing Gender in Rural Classrooms: Considerations, Communities, and Consequences”

This paper discusses the forbidding task of introducing gender in the curriculum of rural campuses.  Aspects of this presentation are considerations and strategies for faculty who want to bring gender into their classroom and the effects of doing so.

Kara Laskowski, Shippensburg University, kalask@wharf.ship.edu

“The Cumberland Valley Women’s Conference”

Twelve years ago women of Penn State Mont Alto, Shippensburg University, and Wilson College formed the Cumberland Valley Women’s Conference.  The presenters will discuss the premise upon which the conference is based and will share the experiences, as well as the successes and challenges, these women faced.

Alice Royer, Penn State Mont Alto, axr24@psu.edu

Nicolette Yevich, Shippensburg University, nayevi@wharf.ship.edu

“Self and Subjectivity: Women Making Meaning within Learning Environments”

To fully engage in learning, an individual needs to have a solid sense of self.  This poster presentation will bring to light the importance of building, or uncovering, one’s “self” and the role of women’s studies classrooms in doing this.

Angela Hissong, Penn State Mont Alto, anh1@psu.edu

Moderator: Berneice Brownell, Susquehanna University, brownell@susqu.edu

Session 2—Room 239 Apfelbaum Hall    

“Teaching, Learning, and Connecting Through Women’s Studies in Upstate New York”

This panel will discuss the integration of service-learning principle, feminist theory, and feminist pedagogy.  Panelists will explore the challenges faced by an attempt to integrate these together in a small town and will discuss the benefits of attempting to use service-learning in a feminist classroom.

Margaret Weitekampe, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, weitekamp@hws.edu

Jenna Logue, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, logue@hws.edu

Freya Hoffman-Terry, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, freya.hoffman-terry@hws.edu

Annerys Rodriguez, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, annerys.rodriguez@hws.edu

Moderator: Susan Bowers, Susquehanna University, sbowers@susqu.edu

Session 2—Room 318 Apfelbaum Hall 

“Rediscovering the Past: The People, the Person, and the Places of Miss Mary Rankin, a True ‘Daughter of Affliction’”

This presenter will offer an examination of the history and culture of 19^th century Pennsylvania through the book Daughter of Affliction: A Memoir of the Protracted Suffering and Religious Experience of Miss Mary

Rankin.  In addition to telling about the daily life and community experience of Mary, this presentation will discuss the research that went into this project.

Robin L. Cadwallader, Saint Francis University, rcadwallader@francis.edu

“This Little Light of Mine: Three Generations of Women Keep the Faith, Preaching and Teaching in Rural Montgomery Township, Indiana County, Pennsylvania”

This is a presentation of a paper discussing the lives of three unrelated women, ranging in age from 21 to 75.  All three of these women highly value education and faith and despite their differences are quite similar.

Shanda L. Tyger is a practicing nurse and PhD candidate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, applepicker@pennswoods.net

“‘She knew all the old remedies – too bad we didn’t find out what they were’: Medical Care Giving and the Neighborhood Women of the Anthracite Coal Region of Pennsylvania”

A discussion of health care in the first half of the twentieth century.  Using oral interviews and written primary sources, the presenter will analyze an informal source of health care: informally trained local women.

Karol K. Weaver, Purdue University, kweaver@sla.purdue.edu

Moderator: Lynn Palermo, Susquehanna University, palermo@susqu.edu

Session 2 —Room 319 Apfelbaum Hall   

“Womanhood in Ubang”

This paper proposes to examine gender and the dynamics of equality in Ubang, a rural community in northern Cross River State, Nigeria. It will explore the different ways in which the socio-religious structure in Ubang society accrues power to women on a level that is comparable to that of men.

Chi-Chi Undie is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland Baltimore County’s interdisciplinary doctoral program in Language, Literacy, and Culture. She is currently a researcher at the Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health., cundie@jhsph.edu

“Spinners and Weavers of Words: The Intergenerational Transmission of Literacy Among Appalachian Women”

This paper presents the stories of three rural western Pennsylvania women of Polish and Italian descent ranging in age from 18 to 76 who reside in a coal-mining community. Their stories reflect their roles in a three-generation family as agents of socialization to literacy skills and values for succeeding generations.

Amy D. Clark is a doctoral student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Her research focus is on intergenerational transmission of literacy among three and four generation families in central Appalachia. She is currently on leave of absence from her position as Instructor of English and Oral Communication at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, where she also serves as founding director of the Appalachian Writing Project.  bnrk@iup.edu  and  aclark@virginia.edu

“Women  Politicians: A Historical Perspective of a Rural Appalachian State (WV)

This research examines the handful of women in politics in the state of West Virginia. Comparisons of specific cultural values of distinct geographical regions that have some impact on the political opportunities and voter reception of women candidates.

Sharon Wills Brescoach,  sbrescoach@francis.edu  or sbrescoach@aol.com

Moderator: Genevieve Carminati, Montgomery College, genevieve.carminati@montgomerycollege.edu.

Session 3—Room 217 Apfelbaum Hall

A presentation and discussion of the film “Eve’s Fire” -- a provocative, living document about real women in a contemporary women's mystery school, who are seeking the sacred in their ordinary lives. It is also about Eve, Snake and a feminine path of spiritual awakening. Snake is an ancient symbol of the Great Goddess and of the kundalini energy that activates spiritual initiation. Women are meeting Snake on a daily basis now, wildly breaking old taboos, following their longing, and biting into the fruit of consciousness.

Mary Jo Boylan, Dangerous Old Women Productions, maryjo@dangerousoldwomen.com

Moderator: Janet Powers, Gettysburg College,  jpowers@gettsburg.edu 

Session 3—Room 318 Apfelbaum Hall 

This panel will discuss student responses to the tragedies of September 11, 2001 as well  as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Student presenters will discuss activism, in varying realms, in light of their own personal experiences.

Lauren Gmitter, William Patterson University, lolo284931@aol.com

Suzanne Mechanic, William Patterson University, sgm830@aol.com

Meghan Murray, William Patterson University, magnus121979@hotmail.com

Cristina Primerano, William Patterson University, kittyinspace@aol.com

Moderator: Dr. Arlene Holpp Scala, William Patterson University, scalaa@wpunj.edu

Session 3—Room 239 Apfelbaum Hall

Panelists will summarize some of the conditions facing farmwomen today.  They will discuss the ways in which women’s role on the farm has changed over time and will also analyze regional differences.

Natalie Jolly, Pennsylvania State University, nataliejolly@psu.edu

Carolyn Sachs, Pennsylvania State University

Amy Trauger, Pennsylvania State University

Moderator:  Robin L. Caldwallader ,  St. Francis University, rcadwallader@francis.edu

Session 4—Room 217 Apfelbaum Hall 

“The Pocahontas Stigma”

The mythologizing of Pocahontas has hindered a true understanding of American Indian women causing them to be dehumanized by our society.  This paper presentation will illustrate this and attempt to begin deconstructing this myth in order to free American Indian women from their subordinate position.

W. Douglas Powers, Susquehanna University, powers@susqu.edu

“Irish Women’s Autobiographies: Life Stories as Societal Critiques”

This presentation will explore the autobiographies of five distinctly different rural Irish women.  These women, among others, used their writing to develop identity and critique a society that subordinates them.

Susan Bowers, Susquehanna University, sbowers@susqu.edu

Session 4—Room 239  Apfelbaum Hall

This paper presentation will explore the great disparity of female representation in state legislatures.  Using both quantitative and qualitative data, presenters will explain the many variables that can best explain this discrepancy.

Joshua Funk, Susquehanna University, joshuafunk@susqu.edu

Megan McDonald, Susquehanna University, mcdonald@susqu.edu

Moderator: David Schwieder, Susquehanna University, schwieder@susqu.edu

Session 4—Room 318 Apfelbaum Hall 

This student panel will analyze Sue Monk Kidd’s The Secret Life of Bees.  The novel, set in rural South Carolina during the tumultuous 1960’s, allows for an interesting discussion of the lives of the main characters, four African-American women and a white, adolescent girl. 

Tara Yutzy, Susquehanna University, yutzy@susqu.edu

Nicole Long, Susquehanna University, longnicole@susqu.edu

Christy Ellsperman, Susquehanna University, ellsperman@susqu.edu

Eric Schmidt, Susquehanna University, schmidt@susqu.edu

Moderator: Dave Ramsaran, Susquehanna University, ramsaran@susqu.edu