UW News

July 7, 2005

The man for the job: David Allen to lead Women Studies Department

UW News

David Allen says when he was first approached to apply to be chair of the Women Studies Department, he assumed the role was that of a “placeholder” — someone to hold down the fort until the right woman for this key job came along.

But then he learned the department was selecting someone for the full five-year term as chair, and that some department faculty had suggested him as a candidate, “It was incredibly flattering,” he said. “And the first piece of work was to calm my ego down.”

He had reason to be flattered. Of the 10 institutions with doctoral programs in women studies, all, not surprisingly, are led by women. And while men heading smaller college and university women studies programs may not be quite as rare, it’s certainly more the exception than the rule.

But then, the UW search committee, formed by Arts and Sciences Dean David Hodge, also had good reasons for considering Allen (despite his gender, one might say). A career professor of psychosocial and community health who served as chair of that department for 10 years, Allen, 57, came to the UW in 1988. He soon received an adjunct appointment in women studies and began teaching the program’s core methodology classes. Far from being a newcomer to such issues or departments, he also had worked in women’s studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, before coming to Seattle.

Judy Howard, sociology professor and outgoing chair of of the Women Studies Department, called Allen an excellent choice for the job. In fact, she said, departmental rules had earlier been revised to allow him to chair a doctoral committee — a relative rarity for adjunct faculty members. “The fact that we made that change says a lot about how deeply we respect him,” Howard said.

Howard herself has a new position as well. Come Sept. 1, the date Allen takes his new position, she will become the UW’s new divisional dean of social sciences.

Though not much for self-promotion, Allen does feel his work at the UW has been consistent with the views and mission of the Women Studies Department. “My academic work and other work has been in the realm of what I call social justice. I’ve been interested in justice-related issues all my life and our School of Nursing (where his faculty appointment is) has strong commitments to women studies and feminist work.”

Allen also said he’s aware of how being a white male has affected his own career and life paths. “I have felt for a long time that people like me who benefit from sexism and racism have the responsibility to try to support addressing it. For me, it’s really in large part a commitment to say, ‘What can I do to work for social justice myself and to be useful to others who are doing similar work?’ It’s a chance to give something back to the department — I’ve gained so much from the students and colleagues I’ve had there.”

Still, the appointment can’t help but spark discussion among and even resistance from some faculty and students who feel that such a job should only be held by a woman, especially in a working climate where women and minorities are markedly under-represented in higher education, and even less so in positions of leadership.

Allen is still mulling over several challenges involving the new position. It might be, he said, that on recruiting trips a woman should be sent in his stead.

Of crucial importance, he said, is that he not present himself as an expert on women’s studies and that his appointment not be misunderstood, politically or academically. “In other words, my goal is to support feminist and anti-racist work in the department, not to position myself as another white male who ‘knows best’ what should be done for women.” After all, he said, “the goals of feminism are not limited to women.”

Susan Jeffords, vice provost for academic planning and a professor in both English and women studies, said Allen was right for the job not only because of his skills and abilities but also because of his location in Health Sciences — a valuable connection for the Women Studies Department to have.

The appointment speaks well of the department, Jeffords said. “I think it’s a great statement about this department and this faculty that they understand the intellectual engagement and prioritizing of a chair who has a commitment to the field and to the learning goals of the students,” she said.

Jeffords also spoke highly of Howard, who she said in every way deserves her promotion. “For years Judy has earned great respect as a scholar and a teacher in sociology, but I think her chairmanship as head of women studies really gave everyone around campus an opportunity to see her own leadership skills. She’s very deliberative and thoughtful and has wonderful abilities to bring people together and to create an environment in which people feel that their work is rewarded.”

Judith Roy, president of the National Women’s Studies Association and a professor at Century College in Minnesota, said there are a handful of men heading women studies programs or departments at any one time, and that there are many male association members, too.

“Feminism is not limited to women,” Roy said, “There are wonderful feminist men out there in academe who are a vital part of women studies programs across the country.”

As for Allen, he said considering the position was “intimidating as hell, actually” at first, but that it helps that he has no political or intellectual agenda to advance. He also said he intends to keep his tenured position in the School of Nursing.

Allen calls the move an experiment, in the sense that it will be an unusual arrangement. For her part, Howard acknowledged this, but stressed she doesn’t really see the appointment as an experiment. “It doesn’t feel like an experiment to me — it’s not like bringing in somebody who has no relationship to the department.”

Howard said she has full confidence that Allen and the department community will iron out any challenges along the way.