Records of the Feminist & Women's Studies Association

The archive consists of:

- Administrative papers

- Minutes of Annual General Meetings

- Conference papers

- Minutes of Executive Committee Meetings

- Papers concerning related national and international organisations

- Papers relating to publications

- Papers relating to Women's Studies Courses in the UK and the Research Assessment Exercise

Please note: Women's Studies Network Newsletters / FWSA Newsletters were removed. Consult The Women's Library Printed Collections Catalogue periodicals for copies

Abbreviations used in collection:

ALSISS - Association of Learned Societies in the Social Sciences

AOIFE - Association of Institutions of Feminist Education

ENWS - European Network for Women's Studies

ESRC - Economic and Social Research Council

NAWO - National Alliance of Women's Organisations

QAA - Quality Assurance Association

RAE - Research Assessment Exercise

WISE - Women's International Studies Europe

WHEN - Women in High Education Network

WSN - Women's Studies Network

The Feminist & Women's Studies Association (1986-fl.2008) was established in 1986 as the Women's Studies Network. Its aim was to promote feminist research and teaching, and women's studies nationally and internationally. Through its elected executive committee, the Feminist & Women's Studies Association was involved in developing policy on issues of central importance to feminist scholars in further and higher education, supporting postgraduate events and enabling feminist research. Committed to raising awareness of women's studies, feminist research and women-related issues in secondary and tertiary education, the Feminist & Women's Studies Association liaised regularly with other gender-related research and community networks, as well as with policy groups. It organised conferences and produced a regular newsletter.

As at 2008 the organisation was active.

Archive has been arranged into 7 groups:

5FWS/01 - Administration

5FWS/02 - Annual General Meetings

5FWS/03 - Conference papers

5FWS/04 - Executive Committee Meetings

5FWS/05 - National and international links

5FWS/06 - Papers relating to publications

5FWS/07 - Women's Studies

This collection is available for research, except some files which remain closed in accordance with the Data Protection Act. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.

The Feminist & Women's Studies Association deposited the archive with The Women's Library in 2006.

The Women's Library Catalogue

The Women's Library also holds the records of the Women's Research and Resources Centre (5WRR); and the papers of Pat Caplin (7PAC). The Women's Library Printed Collections holds some publications by this organisation, including its newsletter. It also holds various Women's Liberation periodicals and press cuttings.