Why choose FIST?
Established in 1987, the Institute was formerly known as the Pauline Jewett Institute of Women’s and Gender Studies (PJIWGS). The Institute fosters research and study, sponsors events and speakers, and promotes discussion and debate on disability, gender, race, and sexuality issues among faculty and students across the campus. Faculty members in various departments at ÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ University conduct research into diverse areas, including the intersections of race/class/gender/culture, transnationalism, migration, gendered labor, dis/ability, sexuality, LGBTQIA2S+ issues, masculinities, and much more.
In addition, the Institute houses the ÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ University – University of Ottawa Joint Chair in Women’s Studies, established by the Secretary of State Women’s Program in 1985.
The Institute offers BA and MA degrees in Women’s and Gender Studies, Minors in Sexuality Studies, and Disability Studies joined the Institute in 2018, followed by the launch of a brand new Minor in Critical Race Studies in 2021.
Areas of Research:
Faculty members in FIST conduct research in diverse areas, including:
- Intersectional theory
- Queer theory
- Affect theory
- Transnationalism
- Migration
- Cultural/Gender history
- Archival research
- LGBTQIA2S+ issues
- Masculinities
- Decolonization
- Dis/ability
- Sexuality
- Violence against women
- Gender and diversity
- Gender and the media
- Gendered affective labour
- and much more!
Commitment to Excellence
The Feminist Institute of Social Transformation is committed to achieving the highest standards of excellence in our teaching, research, and scholarship. The Institute’s primary purpose is to encourage engaged and critical feminist thought from diverse perspectives. It’s a place to explore scholarship and activism for anyone who’s interested in feminist and equity issues.