Women's Studies Centre

About the Centre

The Women’s Studies Centre of Vidyasagar University was established in March, 2010. The Centre aims to promote teaching, research, documentation & publication, training and consultancy on issues related to women, feminism, gender and sexuality with an objective to support women from all strata of society to understand their inner potentials and to create a more gender-just society. In order to develop, promote and disseminate knowledge regarding women’s roles in society and trends influencing women’s lives and status, WSC aims to:

• Undertake, attempt and encourage primary and applied research regarding women and development.
• Collaborate with academic institutions, grass-root organizations as well as individuals engaged in research, advocacy and related activities.
• Organize and assist training programme for faculties.
• Undertake activities with the objective to accelerate social transformation for the full and effective participation of women at all levels of society.

Director

Dr. Jolly Das
Associate Professor, Department of English, Vidyasagar University
wsc@mail.vidyasagar.ac.in

Deputy Director

Prof. Monanjali Bandyopadhyay
Professor, Department of Bengali, Vidyasagar University.

Vision

Women’s Studies Centre envisages in consonance with the mission of VidyasagarUniversity to promote study, research, documentation & publication, providing training and consultancy on issues related to women which will focus on the transformation and change in society by supporting women from all strata to understand their inner potentials, and use that to create a more gender-just society. The centre also intends to provide a flourishing interdisciplinary environment for research and allied activities on a wide range of Women's issues and generating awareness among individuals to be sensitive to societal needs, equipped with the best of knowledge and ever expanding sphere of growth.

Mission

Women’s Studies centre has the mission to become a centre of excellence in teaching, research and extension activities by adopting an approach which will centre on women and their issueswhile also developing an interdisciplinary role. The Centre also intends to impart humanity oriented knowledge which can be converted to skills which will be relevant to societal and global requirements. It draws from a range of disciplines like, history, literature, cultural studies, philosophy, politics, anthropology, sociology on the one hand as well as science and technology on the other, by combining them with issues of gender, culture, and society. While focusing on women's contribution, the centre also has the mission to create awareness among people across gender to work hand in hand towards social progress. The centre aims to be a perfect blend of scholastic and action programmes related to gender sensitization, women’s empowerment and capacity building. Keeping in mind, that gender sensitization creates the necessary base for balanced perspectives on social construction, the centre intends to initiate and implement appropriate research, curriculum development, teaching, advocacy and action. Apart from introducing academic programme, the centre is also involved in micro-level field studies and programs of awareness generation.

Goals

• Stimulate and augment knowledge about gender, race, ethnicity and class as well as sexual identity and cultural influence on women’s lives.
• Initiate research that addresses gender-related issues facing society today.
• Carry out programmes and projects that would help in formulation of policy and development of action plans for Government and NGO sectors
• Study and impact assessment of policies and programmes related to women and gender.
• Establish network and collaboration among scholars and academic community across universities and academic institutions and governmental and non-governmental organizations that enrich the intellectual environment of the university.
• Improve the working climate for women faculty members, administrative and non-teaching staff of the university as well as the students.
• Create bridges between research, teaching, public understanding, and discussion about women and gender – related issues in general and women’s lives in particular.
• Provides advisory and consultancy services on associated issues to institutions and organizations, within and outside the Government, including development agencies and cooperatives.