Department Of Women’s Studies Jadavpur University, School of Womens Studies, Jadavpur University, formed as a centre for developing Womens Studies in India, was a pioneering effort. Beginning its journey in January 1988 with Professor Jasodhara Bagchi as founder-director, the School was recognised by the UGC in February 1989. The University Grants Commission recognised it as the Nodal Centre for Womens Studies in the Eastern Region during the IXth Plan period. The School remains the most widely known within the region and nationally.
In the 1980s and 90s our chief concern was to integrate womens experiences, issue, problems and perspectives into other branches of knowledge. The attempt was not only to add a womans perspective but to transform traditional disciplines through considerations of gender. The development of a feminist perspective went hand in hand with attempts to empower women. The School also aims at dispelling contrived barriers raised by traditional academic disciplines experimenting with new forms of interdisciplinary.
A major objective of the School has been to promote a dialogue between academics and activists, social work and policy making. By facilitating research and extension work, we seek to enhance the visibility of women and gender issues within the academic community of the University and indeed in wider society. We have worked towards creating a platform for sensitising government agaencies, members of the academy and activists. We have kept the focus on Womens Studies as a discipline and a movement and its predominant role in pursuing a gender-just society.