30 March 2006

PLANS ANNOUNCED FOR SCOTLAND'S FIRST CENTRE FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY GENDER STUDIES

The University of Dundee has announced plans to establish Scotland’s first centre for Interdisciplinary Gender Research, the Mary Ann Baxter Centre.

The centre is named after the co-founder of University College, Miss Mary Ann Baxter, principal benefactor of the institution in 1881. At her insistence a central clause in the Deed of Incorporation stated that Dundee be 'a college for promoting the education of persons OF BOTH SEXES and the study of science, literature and fine arts'.

The centre, which will be housed with the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, will provide a central point for gathering and disseminating information about current research in issues of women and gender, building on strong links the University has already established with across Europe.

"Our `Women, Culture, Society’ postgraduate programme at Dundee has already led to the establishment of a long-term research collaboration into issues of gender in text and image involving researchers at the Universities of Dundee, Groningen, Lund and Alicante, so the logical next step is to establish a centre for gender studies," said Dr Marion Wynne-Davies, of the Department of English at the University.

Dr Wynne-Davies announced plans for the centre at "Wonder Women", an interdisciplinary workshop on gender held at the University on Wednesday March 29th.

The centre will be established by autumn 2006.

"This is a very welcome development and testimony to the efforts of a small group of committed staff drawn from different disciplines in the University," said Professor Christopher Whatley, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

"The study of gender in Scotland has been relatively slow to develop, some honorable exceptions apart. The publication of two pathbreaking studies in the field within the last month indicates that much splendid work is now being done. The Mary Ann Baxter Centre can contribute further to these developments by adding the specialisms that the Dundee group can bring to the table - as well as the strong research links that have been forged with partners elsewhere in Europe."

The Centre would also operate as an ‘umbrella organisation’ to house postgraduate teaching and research specifically related to issues of women and gender, and will host conferences and other research-related events, including an international conference to be held in Dundee in spring/summer 2007. ‘Debating the Difference: Gender in word and image’ will be co-hosted by the Scottish Word and Image Group, and will form part of the University’s 40th birthday celebrations.

NOTES TO EDITORS.

It was at Dundee that a woman first held a professorial chair in a Scottish university. Professor Margaret Fairlie (1891-1963) graduated in 1915; she returned to Dundee in 1919 to run a consultant practice in Gynaecology.

The `Wonder Women’ workshop featured papers on feminist philosophy, famous Dundee women, Virginia Woolf and Wonder Woman herself.

Contact Dr Marion Wynne-Davies for further information - m.wynnedavies@dundee.ac.uk or 01382 384414

For further information contact:

Roddy Isles
Head, Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384910
E-MAIL: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk