Women's and Gender Studies

Women's and Gender Studies emphasizes the importance of gender as a category of critical analysis in areas such as scholarly activity, education, social relationships, cultural expression, and politics. Students are encouraged to examine established theoretical frameworks, institutions, ideologies, history, identity, science, language and culture while exploring feminist alternatives.

In 1973, Acadia University became one of the first universities in Canada to offer a course in Women's Studies. The course, entitled Women in the Modern World, was the cornerstone of a program which over four decades has developed a multi-disciplinary and intersectional approach to teaching and research in gender and sexuality related issues. Acadia's WGST stands out for its unique interfaculty course in Women in Science as well for its Mentorship & Networking Opportunities.

Learn more about WGST

WGST Vision Statement

In the WGST program, people commit to lifelong learning journeys, make their ways alone and with others, ask critical questions about gender, sexuality, race, class, and ability, and act for change through feminism, social action, and other pathways of resistance.

WGST Mission Statement

With sustained resources, the WGST program will foster a vibrant, dynamic campus community that critically engages with issues of gender, sexuality, race, class and ability, drawing from established and innovative teaching methods and scholarship, and will collaborate with the wider community in pursuit of just and equitable ways of being.

On March 4, 2021 Dr. Claudine Bonner was invited to present at the 22nd Annual J.B. Memorial Lecture at Cape Breton University

Dr. Bonner’s paper was titled “A Pier for the Pierless: Caribbean Immigration to Atlantic Canada, 1900-1930.” A member of WGST, Dr. Bonner is also the recipient of a Fulbright Visiting Research Chair at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women

On December 6th we recommit our efforts to ending gender-based violence. While COVID-19 public health measures mean that we cannot commemorate the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women as we normally would, there are a number of ways that we can still come together.