Women & Gender Studies
Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
Subject-specific reference works provide background information that will help you understand your topic. They identify key concepts, scholars, and dates which can then be used as search terms for finding additional information. Encyclopedia articles often include short bibliographies that will lead you to major works.
Dictionaries (use for more concise definitions)
Oxford Dictionary of Critical Theory by
With over 750 authoritative entries covering all areas of critical theory, this dictionary is an essential reference work for anyone needing a clear guide to theory, from feminism to globalization, from Marxism to psychoanalysis. This edition is fully revised and updated.
Call Number: E-bookPublication Date: 2018
Historical Dictionaries of Religions, Philosophies, and Movements Series by
Not so long ago hardly anything was said of the Lesbian Liberation Movement and the Gay Liberation Movement, indeed, the terms gay and lesbian were not even used if some other expression could be found. Today, by contrast, hardly a day passes when something important does not occur, and is carried by the major media and disseminated on more personal levels through blogs and the social media. If anything, there is perhaps too much "news" and not enough "information." Obviously, a book like this cannot keep up with the news, but it can do something equally important when it comes to information, by reminding us of the past and what has been going and just how fast events are moving. The Historical Dictionary of the Lesbian and Gay Liberation Movements covers the history of this movement through a cross-referenced dictionary with over 1000 entries on specific countries and regions, influential historical figures, laws that criminalized same-sex sexuality, various historical terms that have been used to refer to aspects of same-sex love, and contemporary events and legal decisions. Including a comprehensive chronology and bibliography, this book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone interested in learning more about the struggle for equality.
Call Number: Print & E-book copiesPublication Date: 2013
Dictionary of Women Worldwide by
This three-volume dictionary contains 25,000 brief biographical entries, providing complete biographical information for most entries.
Call Number: E-bookPublication Date: 2006
The Dictionary of Feminist Theory by
The most comprehensive guide to the terminology and history of feminist theory available.This established and much admired dictionary provides succinct definitions of more than 600 terms, topics, movements and approaches as well as influential feminist thinkers, activists and critics within feminist theory. Entries cover a wide range of cross-cultural issues relating to family, work, sexuality, gender, race, imperialism and representation. There are also explanations of terms within Anglo-American and French feminist literary theory that have come into common usage, including 'Backlash', 'Postcolonialism', 'Postmodernism' and 'Queer Theory'. From 'Autobiography' to 'Writing the Body', from 'Abortion' to 'Work' and from 'Anzaldua' to 'Zimmerman', the Dictionary is a valuable source for anyone interested in the ideas behind feminism or those approaching contemporary feminist thought for the first time.
Call Number: E-bookPublication Date: 2003
Encyclopedias (Use for more Detailed Explanations)
Daily Life of Women: an Encyclopedia from Ancient Times to the Present [3 Volumes] by
Since record keeping began, history has been written by a relatively few elite men. Insights into women's history are left to be gleaned by scholars who undertake careful readings of ancient literature, examine archaeological artifacts, and study popular culture, such as folktales, musical traditions, and art. For some historical periods and geographic regions, this is the only way to develop some sense of what daily life might have been like for women in a particular time and place. This reference explores the daily life of women across civilizations. The work is organized in sections on different civilizations from around the world, arranged chronologically. Within each society, the encyclopedia highlights the roles of women within five broad thematic categories: the arts, economics and work, family and community life, recreation and social customs, and religious life. Included are numerous sidebars containing additional information, document excerpts, images, and suggestions for further reading.
Call Number: E-bookPublication Date: 2021
Global encyclopedia of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) history by Call Number: E-bookPublication Date: 2019
Geek Heroines: an Encyclopedia of Female Heroes in Popular Culture by
Geek culture stems from science and technology and so is frequently associated with science fiction. In the beginnings of science fiction, the genre was tied to "magic" and dystopic outcomes; however, as technology turned "geek" into "chic," geek culture extended to include comics, video games, board games, movie, books, and television. Geek culture now revolves around fictional characters about whom people are passionate. Geek Heroines seeks to encourage women and young girls in pursuing their passions by providing them with female role models in the form of diverse heroines within geek culture. Carefully curated to incorporate LGBTQ+ identities as well as racial diversity, the book defines geek culture, explains geek culture's sometimes problematic nature, and provides detailed fiction and nonfiction biographies that highlight women in this area. Entries include writers and directors as well as characters from comic books, science fiction, speculative fiction, television, movies, and video games.
Call Number: E-bookPublication Date: 2019
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World HistoryCall Number: HQ 1121 O93 2008Publication Date: 2008Reference Collection - In-Library Use Only
The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality by
This Encyclopedia is a comprehensive A-Z reference with over 500 entries that define sexuality from a broad biocultural perspective and show the diversity of human sexual behavior and belief systems. * Contains entries ranging from short definitions of scientific, clinical, cultural, and colloquial terms to extended explorations of major concepts * Covers 13 key areas of content, from clinical medicine and body modification to the language of sexuality and the history of sexology * Serves as an essential resource for students, scholars, and researchers with contributions from an international team of top scholars and practitioners 3 Volumes www.encyclopediaofhumansexuality.com
Call Number: E-bookPublication Date: 2015
Additional Resources
The Bloomsbury Handbook of 21st-Century Feminist TheoryCall Number: Available onlinePublication Date: 2019
The Routledge Handbook of Contemporary FeminismCall Number: HQ 1155 R688 2019ebPublication Date: 2019Available online
Handbook of Gender and Women's StudiesCall Number: HQ 1180 H3 2006Publication Date: 2006Library Main Collection
Canadian Feminist ThesaurusCall Number: Z 695.1 W65 C35 1990Publication Date: 1990Library Main Collection
