The XX Factor: What women really think.

Women's Studies, the Bane of Feminism?

The National Women's Studies Association just completed a survey on women's studies programs. Here are some stats, via Feministing: There are 652 women's and gender studies programs in the United States; undergrad women's studies courses enrolled nearly 89,000 students in 2005-06; and 30.4 percent of women's studies faculty are faculty of color, versus 19 percent of faculty nationally.

The ladies over at Feministing seem pretty happy about this academic boom, but I'm not sure what to make of it. In college, I steered clear of the fringe, identity-focused courses. I figured I could learn about feminism or African-American history through conscientious professors in mainstream departments. Plus, it bothered me that gender and/or women's studies classes were populated entirely by women and gay men, and Af Am classes almost entirely by black students. The demographics seemed like an admission of defeat - the world at large doesn't care, but at least we can preach to our own!

The last stat I mentioned - on faculty of color - also worries me, because it brings home the fact that fringe departments help universities massage their numbers. Department by department there are far more men, and far more whites, but Af Am and women's studies make the total breakdown seem a little less egregious.