Sister Scholars

Historically academe has been regarded as a male space owing to the assumption that knowledge is masculine. Further complicating this inequity is the tendency of academe to favour authoritarian perspectives largely associated with male ways of knowing. As women academics struggle to negotiate hospitable professional spaces they are often pulled between conflicting senses of self. Scholarly writing within disciplinary contexts is one way that women can employ agency against patriarchy to author their own sense of self. In this spirit this peer-reviewed collection aims to bring awareness to the unique experiences of women in the academy.This is the book that I wish I had when I began my career navigating my life as scholar artist and mother in the academe. Sister Scholars is packed with insights from diverse lived experiences and various methodologies and brings forth radical ways of being attentive to ones voice while not sacrificing any parts of oneself. Be prepared to explore the terroir of a rich fertile land and discover a hospitable place that is both creative and critical and spins a new world. I celebrate this book with all my being and commend it as a pinnacle of finding a way to be a scholar that is deeply human and fully responsive to all the fabrics of our lives. Celeste Snowber PhD dancer poet scholarProfessor Simon Fraser UniversitySister Scholar weaves a thoughtful and reflexive thread through what often feels like disparate and competing roles for academic women - daughter activist mother sister friend teacher scholar partner and leader. A unifying theme throughout the book is that as a Sister Scholar there is a continual and complex negotiation of space identity and personal resources. Its often emotional labour. I located myself on every page and in doing so experienced a deep sense of connectedness with the authors and their words. The idea of a sisterhood was prominent. Sister Scholar is an important read for academics and not just those that identify as women. Locating ourselves in the experience with others is liberating and affirming and so too is the work of understanding the experiences of others. Donna Kotsopoulos PhDProfessor & DeanWestern University