‘50 Years Strong’
About Us
Jennifer Naccarelli
Welcome from the Chair
Welcome to the Department of Women & Gender Studies at the University of Delaware.
For more than 50 years, Women & Gender Studies has been a vital part of the University of Delaware and is one of the oldest departments of its kind in the country. As Chair, I am proud to serve as a steward of that history while working with our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners to envision the next 50 years.
Our greatest strength is our extraordinary interdisciplinary faculty and the rich curriculum they create. Our courses challenge students to think critically, engage complex questions, and connect their learning to the world around them. Just as importantly, we are committed to preparing students for what comes next. Through internships, research, mentorship, and community engagement, our students build skills and experiences that prepare them for meaningful work across a wide range of professions.
Gender based violence has emerged as an important area of growth and distinction for our department. Our Center for the Study and Prevention of Gender-Based Violence extends our work through research, education, professional development, and community engagement.
We also invite you to be part of our intellectual community. Each year, the Ida B. Wells Lecture and the Carter Series bring our students and faculty together with the broader University and community for public conversations around important ideas and scholarship.
As we look toward our next 50 years, we are committed to building on the intellectual rigor, interdisciplinarity, and engagement that have long defined Women & Gender Studies while continuing to grow and respond to the changing world around us.
I invite you to explore our programs, get to know our faculty, join us for our public events, and become part of the Women & Gender Studies community.
Jennifer Naccarelli
Chair, Department of Women & Gender Studies
Visitor Information
The University of Delaware campus is located in Newark, Delaware, which is about 20 minutes away from Wilmington, an hour from either Philadelphia or Baltimore, two hours from Washington D.C., and two and a half hours from New York City.
WGS Celebrated 50 years!
In fall 2022 the Department of Women & Gender Studies celebrated 50 years of teaching about, studying, and advocating for the rights of women and justice for all marginalized people.
Over three semesters the department held events, lecture series, exhibits, discussions and more to reflect on legislative victories, explore lessons from history, and mobilize to create a better future for all people experiencing discrimination and marginalization.
50 Years of Women & Gender Studies
Women & Gender Studies Courses and Information Through the Years
Created by students in our capstone course in honor of our 50-year anniversary
50 Feminist Books That Changed Our Lives
Statement of Solidarity, Support and Action
The Faculty of the Department of Women & Gender Studies commits to the following principles:
We stand in solidarity with our Black students, staff, and colleagues and all communities of color in opposition to systemic white supremacy. As a department of intersectional feminists, we know that there is systemic state-sanctioned violence against Black women, men, trans, non-binary, and intersex people, and we know that what may look like isolated incidents are part of a historical process in this country. We know that the intersections of race, class, sexuality, and other oppressive structures are key components that must be recognized and acknowledged in any conversation about these injustices. It is these intersections that have rendered largely invisible the violence against Black women, both cis- and transgender, although such violence has been brutally inflicted throughout centuries. We need to Say Her Name and fight for a better future without state-sanctioned violence. To do so, we must also dismantle the systems of white supremacy, racial capitalism, and hetero-patriarchy which maintain these power differentials.
Racial violence existed even before the official founding of the United States, violence continues to be perpetrated against Black bodies, and protests have arisen in response to several incidents including the police murder of George Floyd by four police officers in Minneapolis, MN; of Tony McDade in Tallahassee, FL; the killing of Ahmaud Arbery while jogging by two armed white men, acting as police surrogates, in Brunswick, GA; and the shooting of Breonna Taylor in her own home by police officers in Louisville, KY (among countless other instances of police brutality). These, and many other murders by police and police surrogates have reignited the protests begun by the Black Lives Matter movement founded by three radical Black women organizers, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi. As the United States is reckoning with institutionalized racism and systemic white supremacy, our department continues to reflect on our own practices and legacies.
We are committed to using our positions as professors to amplify scholarship, pedagogy, advocacy, and activism focused on dismantling all systems of oppression in our department, the University of Delaware campus, and the broader community. We invite you to share your thoughts, concerns, and ideas about ways in which the Department of Women & Gender Studies can support the work of students, staff, faculty and community partners with whom we engage. We are ready to listen and to act.
The College’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Diversity, equity, and inclusion are significant parts of the University of Delaware's College of Arts and Sciences values and goals. The college's commitment to these values is not just evident in its student body but also in its faculty, staff, and curriculum, ensuring a fully inclusive experience. Through this steadfast dedication to diversity and inclusivity, the college continues to enrich its educational offerings, allowing each student to benefit from a wide array of viewpoints and experiences.
