Full Description
Margaret Rossiter's widely hailed Women Scientists in America: Struggles and Strategies to 1940 marked the beginning of a pioneering effort to interpret the history of American women scientists. That effort continues in this provocative sequel that covers the crucial years of World War II and beyond. Rossiter begins by showing how the acute labor shortage brought on by the war seemed to hold out new hope for women professionals, especially in the sciences. But the public posture of welcoming women into the scientific professions masked a deep-seated opposition to change. Rossiter proves that despite frustrating obstacles created by the patriarchal structure and values of universities, government, and industry, women scientists made genuine contributions to their fields, grew in professional stature, and laid the foundation for the breakthroughs that followed 1972.
Contents
List of Illustrations
List of Tables
Ackowledgments
Introduction
1. World War II: Opportunity Lost?
2. Postwar "Adjustment": Displacement and Demotion
3. "Scientific Womanpower": Ambivalent Encouragement
4. Graduate School: Record Numbers Despite It All
5. Growth, Segregation, and Statistically "Other"
6. Faculty at Major Universities: The Antinepotism Rules and the Grateful Few
7. Resentful Research Associates: Marriage and Marginality
8. Protecting Home Economics, the Women's Field
9. Surviving in "Siberia"
10. Majors, Money, and Men at the Women's Colleges
11. Nonporfit Institutions and Self-Employment: A Second Chance
12. Corporate Employment: Research and Customer Service
13. Governmental "Showcase"?
14. Invisbility and Underrecognition: Less and Less of More and More
15. Women's Clubs and Prizes: Partial Palliatives
16. The Path to Liberation: Consciousness Raised, Legislation Enacted
List of Abbreviations
Notes
Bibliographical Essay
Index
