The Society for Women in Philosophy was created in 1972 to "support and promote women in philosophy." Since that time, the Society for Women in Philosophy or "SWIP" has expanded to include many branches around the world. SWIP chapters can be found in the United States, Canada, Ireland, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Flanders, and Germany. To fulfill its mission to promote and support women in philosophy, SWIP holds lectures, divisional meetings, meetings in conjunction with the American Philosophical Association, and publishes national and chapter newsletters.
In 2013, the Feminist Philosophy Archive Project began when the Association for Feminist Ethics and Social Theory (FEAST) and the Society for Women in Philosophy (SWIP) wanted a way to handle SWIP archives, dating to 1971. While the SWIP archive is the immediate goal, the ultimate goal is an inclusive and international Feminist Philosophy Archive (FPA). In 2014, the Feminist Theory Archive at Brown University entered into a joint relationship with the Society for Women in Philosophy to collect and make available the Society's organizational records. The American Philosophical Association generously donated $5,000 to support a temporary assistant archivist for 2015-2016. During that time, twenty scholars donated their materials that document the founding, operations, and activities of the Society.
This collection consists of the records of the Society for Women in Philosophy, an organization established in 1972 to support and promote women in philosophy. The collection includes newsletters, correspondence, and conference materials, dating from 1971 to 2024 and documents the organization on international, national, and regional levels.
The collection is arranged into 10 series.
Series 1, NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR WOMEN IN PHILOSOPHY, 1971-2010, includes correspondence, conference and business meeting materials, newsletters, and files related to Hypatia: a Journal of Feminist Philosophy. Of particular note are the national newsletters, which document the organization to its founding and subjects of interest to SWIP members. Topics include employment, child care at meetings and conferences, sexist language, and surnames after marriage. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type then by topic.
Series 2, EASTERN SOCIETY FOR WOMEN IN PHILOSOPHY, 1972-2007, includes the regional bylaws and constitution, conference materials, correspondence, and writings. Topics include finances, employment, and philosophical discussion of nuclear war. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type then by topic.
Series 3, MIDWEST SOCIETY FOR WOMEN IN PHILOSOPHY, 1971-2024, includes conference materials, correspondence, and files of Ladelle McWhorter, University of Richmond Stephanie Bennett-Smith Chair in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Topics include philosophical discussion of white privilege and street walking as well as discussion of the Feminist Philosophy Reader. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type then by topic.
Series 4, NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR WOMEN IN PHILOSOPHY, 1994-2013, includes conference materials, correspondence, newsletters, and writings by Marcella Tarozzi Goldsmith. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type then by topic.
Series 5, PACIFIC SOCIETY FOR WOMEN IN PHILOSOPHY, 1973-2003, is comprised of five folders of conference materials, correspondence, mailing lists, and newsletters. Topics include Hypatia: a Journal of Feminist Philosophy, and membership. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type.
Series 6, SOUTHEASTERN SOCIETY FOR WOMEN IN PHILOSOPHY, 1982-1983, contains one folder of correspondence regarding the establishment of the division.
Series 7, SOUTHERN SOCIETY FOR WOMEN IN PHILOSOPHY, 1973-1983, contains one conference agenda.
Series 8, SOUTHWESTERN SOCIETY FOR WOMEN IN PHILOSOPHY, 1978-1982, contains one folder of newsletters.
Series 9, CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR WOMEN IN PHILOSOPHY, 1978-1979, contains a conference packet, correspondence regarding the state of the division and its plan for the future, and a flyer. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type.
Series 10, RESTRICTED MATERIALS, 1977-1999, contains membership information for the national Society for Women in Philosophy and eastern and pacific divisions. This series is arranged alphabetically by division then chronologically. This series is closed until January 1, 2037 at which point the documents will be available without restriction.
All researchers seeking to publish materials from the collections of the John Hay Library are requested to complete a Notice of Intent to Publish, available on the John Hay Library website or by request, prior to reproducing, quoting, or otherwise publishing any portion or extract from this collection. Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Society for Women in Philosophy collection, MS.2015.014, Box [#], Folder [#], Pembroke Center Archives, John Hay Library, Brown University.
This collection is arranged into 10 series.
There are no restrictions on access for analog materials, except on Series 10, Restricted Materials, which is closed until January 1, 2037 at which point the documents will be available without restriction. The collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Advance notice is required to view audiovisual media and born-digital records. Audiovisual media and born-digital records in this collection may not have been reformatted yet. Researchers may request access to copies by contacting the John Hay Library with the collection name, collection number, and a description of the item(s) requested. For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed to hay@brown.edu.
Materials gifted in batches between 2014-2015, 2020, and 2024, from 20 separate members of the Society for Women in Philosophy. Donors are: Kathryn Pyne Addelson, Amy Baehr, Alison Bailey, Clare Bright, Claudia Card, Lisa Cassidy, Amy Ferrer, Marilyn Frye, Nanette Funk, Ann Garry, Sara Goering, Marcella Tarozzi Goldsmith, Sandra G. Harding, Virginia Held, Amanda Huminski, Carolyn Korsmeyer, Ledelle McWhorter, Christine Pierce, Gaile M. Pohlhaus, Margaret A. Simons, and Jo Trigilio.