Women's Studies

Dr. Waithe was asked by UNESCO to be one of 5 speakers from different continents addressing the issue of discrimination against women in the discipline of Philosophy. The "testimony" was given in the context of understanding how the discipline has responded to the trend of political correctness by including more women in the profession. The environment was one of international diplomacy in which the United Nations attempts to learn of the conditions of women in its member nations, in this case, specifically in the academic field of philosophy. Dr. Waithe was asked by UNESCO to provide a historical account of women's participation in the field of academic philosophy, and to draw also upon her own experiences as a student and later, as a professor of philosophy. Part of UNESCO's agenda was to provide a forum for women philosophers worldwide, through establishing an e-journal in Philosophy. They also asked Dr. Waithe to recommend standards by which papers submitted to the journal would be judged. Her remarks will appear in the e-journal's first edition and also in the UNESCO Proceedings.