About

Welcome to the Nancy's Chair Blog! For over 25 years the Nancy's Chair in Women's Studies at Mount Saint Vincent University has brought researchers, community activists and organizations together to share, celebrate and enhance what we know about diverse women's lives and knowledge. 

The vision of the Chair when it was created was "to advance the equality and status of women through teaching, research and community and professional service.” The Chair is named in honour of Nancy Ruth, feminist and activist. With this blog, we bring the Nancy's Chair and its work into an era of social media to continue to build connections and share what we know.

Thirteen women have brought their own strengths and energy to the work of the Chair. At the 25th anniversary celebration of the Chair in 2011, Sylvia Hamilton (Nancy's Chair 2001 -2004) suggested that the Nancy's Chair acted as a bridge for her work, enabling her work as a filmmaker. She suggested "Every Nancy's Chair holder's story will be different based upon individual circumstances. But in broad strokes, regardless of how we come to the post, the value of the infrastructural support, the credibility and reputation of the institution, and the unapologetic focus on women is tremendous."

As the thirteenth Nancy's Chair, I share that vision of the Chair as a bridge. I see the Chair as an opportunity to bring Women's Studies to the community and the community to Women's Studies. In building and sustaining that bridge between community and university-based feminist work, we remain aware of the diversity of women, the intersecting experiences that illustrate privilege as well as marginalization, and the amazing strength of women and women’s organizing across the Atlantic region. I am honoured to hold the Chair for the next two years.

This blog offers a public space for sharing knowledge, insight and action. Over the next two years, we will invite a variety of guests to share their thoughts about what is happening in Nova Scotia and the Atlantic region more broadly. These may be

•  a response or invitation to community events, 
• a feminist perspective on a news item,
• a reflection on the potential of Women’s Studies and feminism for social change,
• showcasing the work of a feminist community organization,
• a commentary on a government policy,
• a commemoration of an International or National Day of celebration or remembrance
• a poem, story or letter 
•  photos or video

We invite you to submit an idea for a guest blog as well as comment on blog posts. We will use Twitter and Facebook to alert people to blog posts and offer a chance for them to comment on and share what is on the blog.

The team working on this blog include Mary Lou O’Hara, Nancy’s Chair Assistant, Susan Manning, graduate student in Women’s and Gender Studies at MSVU/Saint Mary’s University, and Deborah Stienstra, 13^th Nancy’s Chair in Women’s Studies.  Please contact us at:nancyschairmsvu@gmail.com.

We look forward to building and sustaining this bridge and blog together!