History

Our foundation was in Women’s Studies

As an emerging field, Gender Studies is best understood as an evolution from the Women's Studies programs that began to be founded in the late 1960s. Milestones at Indiana University include:

  1. 1973

    Our program was founded as Women’s Studies

  2. 1980

    Ph.D. minor in Women’s Studies

  3. 1986

    Undergraduate minor in Women’s Studies

  4. 1992

    First Women’s Studies faculty lines

  5. 1993

    First full-time director was hired

  6. 1997

    Our name was changed to Gender Studies

  7. 1997

    First B.A. in Gender Studies

  8. 2006

    First Ph.D. in the United States in Gender Studies

In Memorium

Alexander M. Doty was a Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences with joint appointments in the Department of Gender Studies and the Department of Communication and Culture. Professor Doty, who joined the IU Faculty in 2008 until his death in 2012, is renowned for his scholarship centered on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and feminist film theory. He was praised as a tireless colleague, brilliant writer, witty cultural critic, and extremely generous scholar, mentor, and friend. The Alexander M. Doty Memorial Fellowship Endowment (Graduate) and Memorial Award (Undergraduate) were established to honor his memory and outstanding legacy.