Foundations for a New Field

Abstract

Foundations for a New Field Mary E. Hunt (bio) Feminist studies in religion is still a new field in need of scholarly and organizational apparatus to sustain its work. Thanks to the genius, generosity, and tenacity of Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, many foundations upon which it is built are in place or in process. I focus this overview on how Feminist Studies in Religion, Inc. (FSR), has developed as the story of some of that infrastructure building. I conclude with some next steps to which I hope Elisabeth and colleagues will turn our attention. Scholarly work does not emerge out of the ether. Rather, it arises on the scaffolding of courses, departments, publications, conferences, prizes, fellowships, dissertation awards, collaborative projects, and the like. Absent such support, there may be a few contributions and momentary interest. But without infrastructure that sustains thinking over generations and mainstreams the material into larger fields, in this instance both religious studies and women's studies, there is little hope of establishing a new area of knowledge. From the outset, feminist studies in religion has been transdisciplinary and international, claiming explicit accountability to the academy and the feminist movement. As such, it fit no existing mold. Creativity was imperative. An outlet for publication was a clear need. Judith Plaskow and Elisabeth conceived the idea of a scholarly journal in 1982. They observed the difficulty of fitting round feminist work into square patriarchal journals. They saw feminists creating new ideas that old vehicles were inadequate to convey. They envisioned a space where feminists could have their work evaluated and encouraged on its own terms. They insisted on rigorous academic standards, and critical as well as constructive contributions. After discussing the matter for years, they invested their own money and time in getting it off the ground. Twenty-five years later, the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion is the peer-reviewed publication of record in the field. The JFSR—its articles, Roundtables, Living It Out, and special sections—is used throughout the world for teaching and research. It functions as a medium of communication as well as a springboard for developing ideas. The editorial board meets annually both for its own education and to discuss ideas for future issues. Members read and critique scores of submissions. Rather than a simple thumbs up or down, readers provide each author with a professional critique of each article and suggestions for its revision whether it is to be published in JFSR or not. Commitment to this kind of collegial work sets JFSR apart from many other journals. In time, the board became aware of the narrowness of its own composition in light of the broad base of the writers and readership. Gradually, an international board was established to expand the group's reach. Ideally, such boards [End Page 213] would be diverse in many ways. However, financial constraints prevent many colleagues from attending board meetings held in the United States or Canada in conjunction with the annual meetings of the American Academy of Religion and Society of Biblical Literature (AAR/SBL). Nonetheless, the expansion was a signal that JFSR means to be more than a Western publication even if internationalization is a slow process. Members are feminist scholars in religion capable of evaluating the wide variety of submissions the journal receives. The JFSR, like most scholarly publications, migrated online with the advent of the Internet in the late 1990s beginning with a modest Web site listing tables of contents, submission guidelines, and subscription information. Eventually, some articles were accessible online; now, entire issues can be accessed electronically. Web presence added readership as well as expectations; Web-based materials were increasingly used for teaching and research. After years of publication with Scholars Press, JFSR moved to Indiana University Press. This move beyond the religious academy put JFSR in the company of other feminist publications like Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy and Bridges: A Jewish Feminist Journal, inviting a broader scholarly audience. Electronic subscriptions gradually overtook print subscriptions though JFSR continues to be printed at a time when many journals are available only online, so that it is accessible to all. The JFSR offers a New Scholar Award "to encourage and...