In honor of Women’s History Month, I thought I’d pay tribute to five women whose work liberal arts students need to be aware of. This is not a top five list, but rather a tribute to five woman thinkers and writers that have shaped their respective fields of study who sometimes don’t get the classroom attention they deserve. Read them.
Sappho
One of the earliest known published woman writers, the Greek poet Sappho, who lived roughly from 615-570 B.C., was described by Plato as one of the top ten poets in Ancient Greece. Though most of Sappho’s poetry hasn’t survived, she has been well-regarded throughout history, and the remaining fragments of her work serves as a notable counterexample to the exclusive study of “great men” in antiquity.
Read this: The Complete Poems of Sappho (2009)
Judith Butler
Liberal arts students of all stripes will want to be aware of Judith Butler’s work, which has influenced various disciplines including literary theory, philosophy, history, ethics and, most notably, feminism, gender studies and queer theory. If you’re a liberal arts student, Butler’s famous work on issues of gender in society has probably affected your major’s study. Sure, Butler’s writing style is known for being verbose, but it’s really worth the time required to get through it. Plus, you’ll be able to throw down the phrase “performative gender” in your next sociology class. Extra credit, anyone?
Read this: Gender Trouble (1990)
Margaret Atwood
Canadian writer Margaret Atwood is one of those writers that never ceases to infuriate other writers—in a good way—because she constantly demonstrates her ability to write in any form with virtuosity. Ask a writing major and you’ll see that it’s the truth. Seriously. If you want to be a writer, read Margaret Atwood. It will infuriate you. But in a good way, like I said.
Read this: The Blind Assassin (2004)
bell hooks
One of the most important voices on critical education, bell hooks’ work has addressed, among other things, issues of feminism, race, class and gender in the classroom. Her 1994 book, Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom became a highly influential account of both the oppressive realities often present in schooling and the liberating possibilities that the classroom setting could facilitate. Written in a personal and accessible style, hooks’ work serves as a great introduction to issues of inequality in education for students and teachers.
Read this: Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom (1994)
Simone de Beauvoir
French existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir’s contributions to feminism, social theory and philosophy are immeasurable. However, as the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy states, “Simone de Beauvoir is one of [the] belatedly acknowledged philosophers.” Yet, her 1949 book The Second Sex stands as one of the most important foundations of modern feminist thought. Some have blamed her belated inclusion as a major 20th century philosopher on the very same patriarchy that her work critiques: based on her association with fellow existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, de Beauvoir’s was often in comparison to Sartre rather than by its own merits. But de Beauvoir’s vast network of influence has cemented her as one of the most important modern philosophers.
Read this: The Second Sex (1949)
Mikey Angelo Rumore can be reached at michealangelorumore@gmail.com.