The key difference between gender and women’s studies is that women’s studies primarily focuses on women while gender studies focuses on women’s studies, men’s studies as well as queer studies. Women’s studies is an interdisciplinary field that originated with the second wave of the women’s movement in the late 1960s. It focuses on the roles, experiences, and achievements of women in society. Gender studies is a field that emerged out of women’s studies. Most universities nowadays offer courses in women’s and gender studies, instead of only women’s studies. It is also important to note that some universities may offer women’s studies courses with the same content as gender studies’ programs.
Key Takeaways
- Women’s studies primarily focuses on the experiences and roles of women in society, while gender studies encompasses women’s studies, men’s studies, and queer studies.
- Gender studies emerged from women’s studies and is a more inclusive and interdisciplinary field.
- Both fields examine issues related to gender, but gender studies also considers other factors such as race, class, and sexuality.
What is Gender Studies?
Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary study or field that analyses constructions of gender in society, often with reference to class, race, sexuality, and other sociological characteristics. Before learning more about gender studies, it’s important to know what we mean by the term gender. Although some people tend to use the words gender and sex interchangeably, there is a distinct difference between them. Sex or sexuality refers to the biological or physiological difference between men and women; however, gender refers to the social and cultural constructions of masculinity and femininity.
Furthermore, gender studies typically include women’s studies, men’s studies, and queer studies. Some universities also offer gender studies programs with studies of sexuality. Moreover, this field analyses how concepts such as nationality, race, ethnicity, class, and disability intersect with categories of gender and sexuality. It also studies gender and sexuality in various fields such as sociology, language, literature, history, anthropology, law, cinema, medicine, and public health. However, it is important to note that the field of gender studies actually originated from women’s studies.
What is Women’s Studies?
Women’s studies is an interdisciplinary program of studies or an academic field focusing on women’s roles in society culture, history, and literature. It is a relatively new field, which began with the second wave of the women’s movement in the late 1960s. The first accredited women’s studies course in the U.S was held in 1969 at Cornell University. However, today many universities around the world offer study programs in women’s studies.
Feminist theory, transnational feminism, intersectionality, standpoint theory, and social justice are some of the major theories studied in women’s studies programs. Moreover, feminist studies and sexuality studies are two closely related fields to women’s studies.
What is the Difference Between Gender and Women’s Studies?
Gender studies is an interdisciplinary study or field that focuses on gender identity and gendered representation as central categories of analysis. Women’s studies, on the other hand, is an interdisciplinary study or field that focuses on the roles, experiences, and achievements of women in society. Therefore, the key difference between gender and women’s studies is that women’s studies basically focus on women while gender studies focus on women’s studies, men’s studies as well as queer studies. Another difference between gender and women’s studies is their history. Women’s study began in the late 1960s, and gender studies emerged out of women’s studies.
Below infographic summarizes the difference between gender and women’s studies.
Summary – Gender vs Women’s Studies
Gender studies is a field that focuses on gender identity and gendered representation as central categories of analysis while women’s studies is a field that focuses on the roles, experiences, and achievements of women in society. Therefore, this is the key difference between gender and women’s studies.
Reference:
1. “Women’S Studies – Definitions, Origins, Growth And Institutionalization, Research And Publication, Theories And Assumptions, Gerda Lerner.” Science Encyclopedia, Available here.
2. “Gender Studies.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 Apr. 2019, Available here.
Image Courtesy:1. “Sex GLBT olympics” By © Nevit Dilmen (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “295245” (CC0) via Pixabay
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