About the Centre

The Centre for Women’s Studies at James Cook University was established in 1994. It offers a range of postgraduate degrees and awards, and also co-sponsors seminars, workshops and conferences.

The purpose of the Centre is to facilitate a critical exploration of women’s experiences and achievements through research and teaching. Since a comprehensive study of women cannot adequately be accomplished in any one field or from a single perspective, the interdisciplinary orientation of Women’s Studies provides greater scope for in depth investigation and interpretation. Women from a range of Schools and Departments across the University, and from the community, contribute to teaching of Centre subjects, research projects and supervision. Therefore, Women’s Studies’ subjects integrate feminist knowledge from a range of disciplines including social welfare and the social sciences, indigenous studies and the humanities.

This interdisciplinary structure of Women’s studies at James Cook University gives students diverse disciplinary and theoretical entry points into the study of women in historical, cross-cultural and contemporary contexts. The Centre works collaboratively with other University schools and also community organisations to host seminars where women can exchange ideas share their work and explore issues in women’s studies.