Written by: Randall Brown
Two UT faculty colleagues took on new leadership roles this year for the interdisciplinary Women, Gender, and Sexuality (WGS) program, with plans in motion to update and expand the major to meet growing demand.
Program Chair Nora Berenstain, professor of philosophy, and Associate Director Alexandra Chiasson started their new roles in August 2023. Berenstain steps into the role of chair after four years of service on the WGS steering committee. Chiasson also serves as a lecturer in the program.
“The WGS faculty have been working tirelessly to update our curricula, expand the range of courses we offer, and make sure our course offerings fulfill the VolCore requirements that our students need,” said Berenstain.
She encourages interested students to explore the potential for interdisciplinary studies and collaboration within WGS.
“We provide an intellectual home for those whose interests don’t always fit neatly within a single discipline,” said Berenstain. “A WGS major or minor can pair well with almost any other major. For those in the College of Arts and Sciences, double majoring is especially doable, as our classes overlap with those in many different departments.”
Patrick Grzanka, former WGS program chair and now divisional dean for social sciences at UT, expressed the utmost confidence in Berenstain and Chiasson as they guide the program.
“Professor Berenstain is a widely recognized leader in feminist philosophy and philosophy of science,” he said. “The interdisciplinary nature of her work on epistemic violence has led to broad impact across the disciplines. The college is so fortunate to have her leading WGS as the program continues its tremendous growth.”
He is equally excited to welcome Chiasson, a UT alumna, back to Rocky Top.
“Chiasson brings with her cutting-edge training at the forefront of the discipline and over a decade of administrative experience that will greatly enhance WGS as we continue to grow the program to better serve our burgeoning student population,” he said. “Our undergraduates and graduate students alike will benefit from her sage and generous mentoring.”
In the new year, the WGS leaders plan to advertise new course offerings, like Feminism and the Environment, and make sure students know about the opportunities available with a WGS background. They will also launch an LGBTQ+ Studies minor program in fall 2024. The minor addresses an important need in degree program offerings, and the team looks forward to providing WGS students the opportunity to focus on Queer studies.
In addition to the undergraduate major and upcoming minor, WGS offers a graduate certificate that master’s and doctoral students can add to their primary degrees.
“We are always interested in hearing from students and faculty interested in doing interdisciplinary work on topics related to WGS,” said Berenstain. “Our program has created a robust and engaged community on campus, and we regularly host guest lectures and other programs to bring faculty and students together.”
Berenstain and Chiasson are grateful for support from the College of Arts and Sciences that helps them meet the extraordinary demand they see for WGS, and to offer students opportunities to learn from exceptional instructors who present a variety of interdisciplinary approaches and perspectives.
“I am eager to continue our recruiting efforts for all of our major and minor programs, in particular by sharing with students career pathways that can take root with a major in WGS,” said Chiasson.
She appreciates the substantial increase of Vol faculty and students doing work in WGS since her time as an undergraduate and she looks to contribute back to them through her role.
“This affirms my desire to continue building up our interdisciplinary program and the community it yields,” said Chiasson. “Most importantly, I see my role as guiding students who imagine a Tennessee where they want to continue living and working.”