Department of Social Science

Department News

What's new in the department.... 

10/14 - Women's Studies Celebrates Open House

On Wednesday October 1, the Women's Studies program held an open house. Located in the Women's Studies program office in Dudley Moorhead Hall, the open house was a chance for individuals affiliated with Women's Studies to connect with each other and engage in dialogue. Students, faculty and staff from across campus attended including representatives from the MLK Library, Mexican-American Studies, History, Psychology, Anthropology, Justice Studies, Sociology, the LGBT and Women's Resource Centers, and the Dean's Office in the College of Social Science, to name a few. The open house was the first of events yet to come aimed at promoting the Women's Studies program. Several Women's Studies faculty commented on how encouraging it was to see such a high attendance and support for the Women's Studies program.  (T. Bakhru)

8/25/08 - Women's Studies Welcomes New Faculty Member Tanya Bakhru

The Women's Studies program is proud to welcome Dr. Tanya Bakhru to the Women's Studies faculty. Professor Bakhru received her doctoral degree in Women's Studies from University College Dublin in Ireland under the supervision of Ailbhe Smyth. Before coming to SJSU she taught as a lecturer in Women's Studies at San Diego State University.

Dr. Yamato noted that Professor Bakhru's background in Reproductive Health and Globalization will strengthen the department's breadth. She said, "Tanya will make important contributions as we continue to build an exciting and student-focused program." Dr. Bakhru research interests include feminist contestations of globalization and global reproductive justice movements.

Professor Bakhru is teaching two introductory courses in the fall (WOMS10 and WOMS 101) and says she is looking forward to her new position at SJSU and and spending time with students, faculty, and staff.

5/20/08 - Dr. Shahin Gerami awarded early tenure

Women's Studies Director Dr. Shahin Gerami was awarded early tenure and promotion, as announced by University Provost Carmen Sigler. Professor Gerami has been an active faculty member at SJSU for two years, and has over twenty years experience in teaching and research.

4/22/08 - University Scholar Series features Ochoa Book at MLK Library

SJSU Professor Maria Ochoa reads from her new book, Shout Out: Women of Color Respond to Violence, (see below) along with contributorsHosai Eshan, Merle Woo, and Teresa Pedrizco Romero. The University Scholars series is hosted by Provost Carmen Sigler & Connie Lurie Department of Education. This free event begins at noon in King Library, Schiro Room, 5th floor.  For more info, call 408-924-2408

4/15/08 - Women's Studies Prof Rue featured on local KPFK radio

Dr. Victoria Rue was featured April 15 on Michael Krasny's "Forum"  show at KPFK 94.1 Berkeley radio. In a segment on the Pope's visit to the U.S., Rue was featured along with the President of the Graduate Theological Union and Monsignor Schlitt of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.  Rue addressed the current status of the Womanpriest movement in the U.S.  You can hear the show in its entirety at the KPFK archives at http://www.kqed.org/pgmArchive/RD19 (look for April 15 show). 

1/13/08 - Women's Studies/Social Science Prof launches new book

Dr. Maria Ochoa begins a book tour this month to launch her new book, Shout Out: Women of Color Respond to Violence (Seal Press, 2008), edited with Dr. Barbara K. Ige.  The book also features selections by Women's Studies Professor Dr. Shahin Gerami, SJSU 2007 alumnus Teresa Pedrizco Romero (Social Science) and current Sociology graduate student Hosai Eshan.

Ochoa will offer local readings from the book at Books Inc. and Modern Times bookstores in San Francisco on January 17 and 30 respectively, as well as bookstores in Chicago, Washington, Delaware, and Washington D.C. in January and February.

Shout Out contains "a powerful collection of writing by women who are contemplating and striving to answer ... very troubling questions" such as:  "How do so many women survive the violence of their daily lives? Where do they find hope? How can this violence be allowed to continue?"   The collection offers critical examinations, creative nonfiction, and poetry from women who "provide living testimony to the need to put an end to oppression and violence."

Dr. Ochoa is also the author of Creative Collectives: Chicana Painters Working in Community (University of New Mexico Press, 2003).

10/25/07 - New Asian American Studies Prof launches new book

Assistant Professor of Asian American Studies Estela Habal will host a book signing event on Tuesday, October 30 at MLK Library.  Professor Habal's new book, titled San Francisco's International Hotel: Mobilizing the Filipino American Community in the Anti-Eviction Movement (Temple University Press, 2007) details the historic struggle to save the International Hotel in the San Francisco neighborhood known as Manilatown in 1977.  The eviction of elderly Filipino tenants served as a catalyst for Filipino and Asian American activism, and Habal's historical research builds on some of her own experiences as a participant. One reviewer described the work:

"[San Francisco's International Hotel] is both testament and tribute to a determined group of Filipino American men and women who took on corporate and government bigwigs and, against all odds, eventually won.  What emerges is a story of universal struggle--across arbitrary ethnic, gender and class lines--the ultimate right for every human being to have fair access to decent, affordable housing, to establish a home for once and for all." (SF Chronicle)

The book signing takes place in room 525 from 4:30pm to 6pm. Download a flyer here.

September 2007 - Job Opening: 

Applications are invited for an Assistant Professor position of Women's Studies in the department of Social Science at San Jose State University. We are seeking an individual based in the social sciences with primary expertise in areas of transnational and women's health, such as reproductive health, AIDS, infectious diseases, or obesity among girls. For the secondary area we are open to a specific focus within that global context: Africa, Asia, Latin America, or in their diasporas. We hope to attract an established scholar who would find stimulating the opportunity to teach a diverse student population and join an early stage of program development. Women's Studies at San Jose State University is one of the oldest Women's Studies program and is currently being revised within the framework of transnational feminism and health.  Click here to download complete information in an MSWord document (28KB).

9/20/07 - Gerami Addresses Legal Panel

Women's Studies Director Shahin Gerami is one of four panelists addressing "Sexual Harassment and Domestic Violence in the Iranian Diaspora" at UC Berkeley on October 11.  The panel is co-sponsored by the Iranian-American Bar Association (IABA) of Northern California, the LEONA Foundation, and the Iranian Student Alliance in America (ISAA). For more information, download the pdf flyer here.

May 2007 Honors Convocation

Social Science professors Hien Do, Maria Alaniz (left to right), along with Professor and Associate Chair of Mechanical Engineering Raymond Yee.

4/23/07 - WS101 Exhibits at Tunnel of Oppression

This spring semester, Professor María Ochoa's Women's Studies 101 class participated in the Fourth Annual SJSU Tunnel of Oppression by creating a multi-media room that examined three topical areas concerning women: Women in the Media, Social Movements, and Historical Figures. The students developed the themes and the materials as an integrative learning experience that was based on lectures by Professor Ochoa, class discussions, assigned readings, as well as student's interest in particular topics. More than 1,000 people visited the Tunnel of Oppression this year.

In order to create the room, students worked in cohort groups to develop an interactive installation that explored different forms of oppression that effect women. For example, in the image below, students developed audio and visual recordings to demonstrate the ill effect of media. They also created poster presentations that educated viewers about domestic violence, rape, and access to safe reproductive health care. Each student wrote a critical analysis that documented their individual and group processes in the creation of the room.

4/22/07 - WS101 Class creates feminist activist website

As part of a class midterm project, SJSU students in WS101 wrote and created a publicly accessible website featuring feminist activists such as Wangari Maathai, Angela Davis, Billie Jean King, Antonia Hernandez, Urvashi Vaid, and Muhammed Yunus, among others. "The site allows students to offer their research findings in an interesting and accessible manner to the public," said Women's Studies lecturer Susana Gallardo. Access the site by clicking on the image below, or at http://www.feministstoday.com.  

Entries include biographical analyses and information about past and present feminist activists. Students Ashley Laidlaw and Joy Pross, for example, find that Nobel Prize winning Iranian lawyer Shirin Ebadi offers views that "push past simply the idea of women’s equality, but that equality itself needs to be universal; bridging across gender, age, race, and any other categories...."  Students Santiago Gallegos and Maribel Cruz analyze Chicana activist Dolores Huerta's historic work with the UFW which, though "extremely important, ...often overshadows her involvement in modern feminist issues."  Read more at http://www.feministstoday.com.  

4/14/07 - Congrats to department's Presidential & Dean's List Honorees!

Department Chair Maria Luisa Alaniz is proud to acknowledge the academic honors of Presidential Scholars Diana Hammill and Susan Parodi, both senior Social Science majors. The department is equally proud to congratulate Dean's List Honorees Sabreen Azhar, Paul Bekowies, Candyce Dewalt, Klarissa Fleming, Gregory Gillie, Elaina Lincoln, Pablo Narcisa, Leah Oculto, Diane Peterson, Gary Ramsey, Paula Silva, and Rachel Wendt. 

4/9/07 - Gerami gives keynote address

Women's Studies Coordinator Shahin Gerami will give the keynote address titled "Muslim Masculinities in Transition: At Home and Abroad" at the international conference "Migration, Islam & Masculinities: Transforming Emigration and Immigration Societies" in Oldenburg, Germany on Thursday, April 12. The conference is sponsored by the Department of Political Science, and the Working Group on Migration & Gender at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg. The conference seeks to bring together research on migration studies which use masculinity as a category of analysis, and studies of "the diverse formations of Islam in diaspora and their relation to (re)constructions of masculinities."

4/7/07 - Social Science faculty active at inter/national conferences

Department faculty gave several presentations at the 2007 Asian American Studies Conference in in New York City April 3-7.  Asian American Studies lecturer Estela Habal presented on a panel titled "Filipino American Organizing and Protest" and fellow lecturer Joel Franks presented a paper titled “From Honolulu to Brooklyn: Some Journeys of the Hawaiian Travelers." 

Also in April, Women's Studies lecturer Victoria Rue presented her work on "Borderlands: Roman Catholic Womenpriests" at the Western Region Call to Action Conference. Back in January, Professor Rue also presented on "Exploring Gender in the Qur'an in California" at the First International Seminar on Drama and Religion, in Tehran, Iran (pictured). Next June, Professor Rue will be giving the Homily titled "Take Back the Church--GLBTQ---We are Church" at Dignity's Gay Pride Mass in New York City.

11/17/06 - Celebrating Great Teachers

Professor Maria Alaniz will host the "Exemplary Social Science Teacher Celebration and Recognition Event" on Tuesday, December 5, 2006 at the University Room. Presenters include Marilyn Guida & Urla Hill of the History San Jose Project speaking on "Incorporating Speed City into your History Curriculum and Meeting the Standards;" and Special Guest John Carlos, the 1968 Olympic Medalist and SJSU Speed City Track Star speaking on "Social Justice in the Classroom: Inspiring our Youth to Engage in Civic Duty."

11/15/06 - Faculty news

Maria Ochoa, a women's studies lecturer for the Department of Social Science, recently traveled to Paris to discuss possible research with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The research would relate to her study of the Girl Scouts Council of Santa Clara County. The study examined "the social organization of the group and of the programmatic efficacy of activities developed for girls of color, particularly those from immigrant populations," Ochoa wrote.

Alan Leventhal, an information technology consultant and lecturer for the College of Social Sciences, served on the planning committee for the Native American Heritage Celebration held in early November at San José City Hall. The event included representatives from three Costanoan/Ohlone Tribes as well as organizations representing Native American peoples from outside California who have moved to Santa Clara County.

Cherie Cervantes & Sharmila Belmonte address the Social Science graduates, faculty, and families during the ceremony.

8/21/06 - Welcome back!

Welcome back to school. We've updated the contact information for all faculty here.  It also has a link for you to download a handout with Faculty Office Hours for Fall (or just get it here, MSDoc or pdf).

5/28/06 - Congratulations Graduates!

Thirty-four social science majors were among the 7862 men and women who graduated at Saturday's 149th Annual SJSU Commencement ceremonies.  The university ceremony was followed by the Social Science Department ceremony, arranged by Professors Hien Do, Curtis Rooks Takada, and Maria Alaniz, and a student committee of Sharmila Belmonte, Cherie Cervantes, Jennier Erickson, & Leah Oculto.   

See complete photos of the ceremony by clicking here.

5/1/06 - New Professor & Women's Studies Coordinator

From coordinator of Women's Studies, Professor Jennifer Rycenga: 

It is a pleasure to announce that we have hired a new coordinator of Women's Studies at San Jose State University.  Dr. Shahin Gerami will be joining the permanent faculty in August, 2006. Dr. Gerami will bring to the program her years of experience in global feminist activism, critical gender research, and a passion for teaching.  She earned a law degree from the University of Tehran and practiced law in Iran prior to the revolution. She earned the Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Oklahoma in 1983. She has long been a member of the Sociology and Criminology Departments at Missouri State University at Springfield.

As coordinator of Gender Studies in the College of Humanities and the Arts (1995-1999), she energized and sustained the Gender Studies program, and worked closely with Ethnic Studies programs as well. She has won teaching awards, and has been active in interdisciplinary programs.

Her research and activism has involved work with NGOs on issues of refugees in Iran and Afghanistan, including with the United Nations and at the Beijing Conference on Women in 1995. She has written on Muslim masculinities, and conducted comparative research on gender and fundamentalism in Iran and the United States. Below are two websites that feature Dr. Gerami's work and courses taught at her current institution:

Dr. Gerami at Missouri State Sociology

Crime & Society Program at Missouri State

I want to thank everyone who helped with the search for Women's Studies; we are certain that Dr. Gerami will elevate the intellectual and activist visibility of the program on our campus, and demonstrate that these two modes of activity are deeply intertwined!

5/1/06 - Welcome New Students

Welcome to thirty-four students newly admitted to the department for the 2006-07 year!