Catching a Wave


CATCHING A WAVE: RECLAIMING FEMINISM FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Edited by Rory Dicker and Alison Piepmeier
With an afterword by Katha Pollitt and Jennifer Baumgardner
Northeastern University Press, spring 2003

This collection of essays answers the question, “Is feminism still necessary?” with a resounding “yes.” The book is an engaging, often edgy, look at a broad range of perspectives on the diversity, complexity, multiplicity, and playfulness of feminism’s third wave. Organized in five sections that mirror the stages of consciousness-raising, it is a call to action for new voices to redefine a feminism that is not only personally aware but also politically involved.

"It's too soon to tell whether Catching a Wave will define new-generation feminism the way Walker's or Findlen's anthologies did, but if the book makes one point clear, it's that feminism need not define its successes--or failures--solely by what's come before it. As a snapshot of feminism circa 2003, Catching a Wave offers a lot of hope, a lot of encouragement, and the same galvanizing potential that has made feminism, in all its incarnations, a movement that remains as vital as ever."

--Andi Zeisler, Women's Review of Books, June 2003

"Interspersed among the more serious essays are such delights as an analysis of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, a discussion of hip-hop feminism, and a look at a mail-order bride/fake porn satirical web site. Intended for those with a serious interest in women's studies, the book is well organized and detailed and contains an extensive bibliography. Essential for academic institutions, it is also recommended for public libraries to complement their feminist collections."

--Melody Ballard, Library Journal, May 2003

"For those who want to add to their collection of writings and positions on Third Wave feminisms, this will be an important book for the collection."

--Feminist Academic Press column, May 2003

Table of Contents
Introduction, Rory Dicker and Alison Piepmeier
Part One: Needing Feminism
1. “The ‘Big Lie’: False Feminist Death Syndrome, Profit, and the Media,” Jennifer L. Pozner
2. “In a Word, Baywatch,” Susannah B. Mintz
3. “Reviving Lolita; or, Because Junior High Is Still Hell,” Alyssa Harad
Part Two: Coming to Feminism
4. “ ‘That’s Not Fair!’: Nurturing Girls’ Natural Feminism,” Nancy Gruver
5. “Voices and Visions: A Mother and Daughter Discuss Coming to Feminism and Being Feminist,” Roxanne Harde and Erin Harde
6. “Please—Stop Thinking About Tomorrow: Building a Feminist Movement on College Campuses for Today,” Sarah Boonin
Part Three: Recognizing Feminism
7. “Who’s the Next Gloria?: The Quest for the Third Wave Superleader,” Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards
8. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Next Generation of Television,” Michele Byers
9. “Third Wave, Third World Feminism(s): The Evolution of Arab American Feminism,” Susan Muaddi Darraj
Part Four: Redefining Feminism
10. “Feminism’s Family Problem: Feminist Generations and the Mother-Daughter Trope,” Astrid Henry
11. “Do the Ladies Run This…? Some Thoughts on Hip-Hop Feminism,” Gwendolyn D. Pough
12. “The Transfeminist Manifesto,” Emi Koyama
Part Five: Doing Feminism
13. “Hearing the Daughter Voice: The Bat Kol as Rrrabbi Grrrl,” Alana Suskin
14. “Rocking the Gender Order,” Mimi Schippers
15. “Pranks and Fake Porn: Doing Feminism My Way,” Kristina S. Wong
Afterword: A Correspondence between Katha Pollitt and Jennifer Baumgardner

RORY DICKER is a senior lecturer in English and Women's Studies at Vanderbilt University. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
ALISON PIEPMEIER is the Assistant Director of Women's Studies at Vanderbilt University. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

	This collection of essays answers the question, “Is feminism still necessary?” with a resounding “yes.” The book is an engaging, often edgy, look at a broad range of perspectives on the diversity, complexity, multiplicity, and playfulness of feminism’s third wave. Organized in five sections that mirror the stages of consciousness-raising, it is a call to action for new voices to redefine a feminism that is not only personally aware but also politically involved.

"It's too soon to tell whether Catching a Wave will define new-generation feminism the way Walker's or Findlen's anthologies did, but if the book makes one point clear, it's that feminism need not define its successes--or failures--solely by what's come before it. As a snapshot of feminism circa 2003, Catching a Wave offers a lot of hope, a lot of encouragement, and the same galvanizing potential that has made feminism, in all its incarnations, a movement that remains as vital as ever." --Andi Zeisler, Women's Review of Books, June 2003 "Interspersed among the more serious essays are such delights as an analysis of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, a discussion of hip-hop feminism, and a look at a mail-order bride/fake porn satirical web site. Intended for those with a serious interest in women's studies, the book is well organized and detailed and contains an extensive bibliography. Essential for academic institutions, it is also recommended for public libraries to complement their feminist collections." --Melody Ballard, Library Journal, May 2003 "For those who want to add to their collection of writings and positions on Third Wave feminisms, this will be an important book for the collection." --Feminist Academic Press column, May 2003

Table of Contents Introduction, Rory Dicker and Alison Piepmeier Part One: Needing Feminism 1. “The ‘Big Lie’: False Feminist Death Syndrome, Profit, and the Media,” Jennifer L. Pozner 2. “In a Word, Baywatch,” Susannah B. Mintz 3. “Reviving Lolita; or, Because Junior High Is Still Hell,” Alyssa Harad Part Two: Coming to Feminism 4. “ ‘That’s Not Fair!’: Nurturing Girls’ Natural Feminism,” Nancy Gruver 5. “Voices and Visions: A Mother and Daughter Discuss Coming to Feminism and Being Feminist,” Roxanne Harde and Erin Harde 6. “Please—Stop Thinking About Tomorrow: Building a Feminist Movement on College Campuses for Today,” Sarah Boonin Part Three: Recognizing Feminism 7. “Who’s the Next Gloria?: The Quest for the Third Wave Superleader,” Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards 8. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Next Generation of Television,” Michele Byers 9. “Third Wave, Third World Feminism(s): The Evolution of Arab American Feminism,” Susan Muaddi Darraj Part Four: Redefining Feminism 10. “Feminism’s Family Problem: Feminist Generations and the Mother-Daughter Trope,” Astrid Henry 11. “Do the Ladies Run This…? Some Thoughts on Hip-Hop Feminism,” Gwendolyn D. Pough 12. “The Transfeminist Manifesto,” Emi Koyama Part Five: Doing Feminism 13. “Hearing the Daughter Voice: The Bat Kol as Rrrabbi Grrrl,” Alana Suskin 14. “Rocking the Gender Order,” Mimi Schippers 15. “Pranks and Fake Porn: Doing Feminism My Way,” Kristina S. Wong Afterword: A Correspondence between Katha Pollitt and Jennifer Baumgardner

	RORY DICKER is a senior lecturer in English and Women's Studies at Vanderbilt University. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee. ALISON PIEPMEIER is the Assistant Director of Women's Studies at Vanderbilt University. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

[Return to homepage]