Women's Studies in Canada:
How Far Have We Come?

BY GRETA HOFMANN NEMIROFF

AUTHOR'S PROLOGUE:
A CAUTIONARY TALE

Greta Hofmann Nemiroff

Some months ago, with very little notice, I was asked to contribute an article to the special tenth anniversary issue of Women's Education des femmes. I was asked to write a reflection on the progress of Women's Studies in Canada over the past ten years. Since I am absolutely overwhelmed with long term research and writing projects as well as teaching, administrative and union responsibilities, I should have immediately declined this very well meant but tardy invitation. I am, however, of that generation of feminists who have never really learned to "say no" to our "sisters." I never cease to be astonished by those members of the younger generation of feminists who not only claim "burn out" as a legitimate reason for refusal (I think here of the excellent editors who decided to discontinue Herizons, La vie en rose and now Broadside), but who do not hesitate to request contributions to subsidize the liquidation of their work. They have a great deal to teach me; I am still not sure of how I feel about their defection.

Because I had not said "no" to the editors of Women's Education des femmes, I found myself cramming in a few hours very early one morning (I am here talking about 3 a.m.) to write a general assessment of Women's Studies as it has developed in Canada over the last decade. Naturally, I did not have the time to send to all the universities for the most up-to-date information on their programmes. However, since over the years I had been invited to speak or consult at numerous universities offering or preparing to offer Women's Studies programmes, I think I have a good sense of the topic. Consequently I wrote a very generalised overview and hastily sent it off to meet the deadline. I was not happy with it and I should not have sent it.

On April 10th my article was returned to me with a kind letter asking me to double its length by providing a more detailed ("Where exactly and how?") account of the history of Women's Studies in Canadian universities... all by 21 April. Today is 23 April and the first moment I have been able to consider this project.

It is cold dreary Sunday with snow flurries; I am sitting at my computer in the country over-looking the grim outline of the Jay Peak mountain range. I do not want to work on this article; I think the subject calls for extensive research (a SSHRC grant for someone) and detailed narration. My own knowledge is impressionistic and arbitrary ...depending on where I was when, what I read in my rambling and to whom I have spoken. I would like to be reading a mystery novel or working on a short story called "Bones" which has been rolling around in my head for over a year; I should be working on my research project for which I am being handsomely subsidized by the Quebec government. I also owe a tedious article on the teaching of English in the CÉGEPs to the journal of the union on whose executive I sit. I must prepare for a presentation on "Les études féministes" at the CÉGEP de Rimouski next week.