Penny Weiss, Ph.D.
Professor
Women's and Gender Studies
Professor
Political Sciences
Education
Ph.D., University of Notre Dame Department of Government and International Relations, 1987.
- Major field: Political Theory; Minor fields: American Government, Women's Studies
- Dissertation: "Differential Treatment of the Sexes in Rousseau's Politics"
M.A., University of Notre Dame Department of Government and International Relations, 1979.
B.A. in Political Science, University of South Florida, 1976.
Publications and Media Placements
BOOKS
Feminist Interpretations of Mary Astell, Alice Sowaal and Penny Weiss, editors (Pennsylvania State University Press, forthcoming 2015).
Canon Fodder: Historical Women Political Thinkers (Pennsylvania State University Press, 2009). Named Choice outstanding academic book of the year.
Feminist Interpretations of Emma Goldman, Penny Weiss and Loretta Kensinger, editors 9Pennsylvania State University Press, 2007).
Conversations with Feminism: Political Theory and Practice (Rowman & Littlefield,1998).
Chapter 2, "'I'm Not a Feminist, But . . .': Popular Myths about Feminism," reprinted in Reading Women's Lives, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions.
Feminism and Community, Penny Weiss and Marilyn Friedman, editors (Temple University Press, 1995).
Gendered Community: Rousseau, Sex, and Politics (New York University Press, 1993). Named Choice outstanding academic book of the year.
ARTICLES AND CHAPTERS
"Declaring Sexual Equality: Documents from Around the Globe" (forthcoming, Feminist Formations).
"'From the Throne to every Private Family': Mary Astell as Analyst of Power," Feminist Interpretations of Mary Astell, Alice Sowaal and Penny Weiss, editors (Pennsylvania State University Press, forthcoming 2014).
"Locations and Legacies: Reading Astell and Re-Reading the Canon," Feminist Interpretations of Mary Astell, Alice Sowaal and Penny Weiss, editors (Pennsylvania State University Press, forthcoming 2014).
"Getting to the Roots, or, Everything I Need to know about Radical Social Change I Learned in My Garden." Women's Studies Quarterly, 42, 3-4 (Fall/Winter 2013). 131-150
"Sei Shonagon and the Politics of Form," Journal of Political Philosophy. 16, 1 (March 2008): 26-47.
"Who Were Emma Goldman's ‘Children': Feminist Anarchism and Childhood," Feminist Interpretations of Emma Goldman, Penny Weiss and Loretta Kensinger, editors (Pennsylvania State University Press, 2007): 177-193.
Penny Weiss and Loretta Kensinger, with Berenice Carroll, "Digging for Gold(man):
What We Found," Feminist Interpretations of Emma Goldman, Penny Weiss and Loretta
Kensinger , editors (Pennsylvania State University Press, 2007): 3-18.
"Mary Astell: Including Women's Voices in Political Theory," Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy 19, 3 (Summer 2004): 63-84.
"Making History of Ideas Classes ‘Relevant': One Writing Strategy," Teaching Philosophy 25 (June 2002): 123-130.
"Letter to Monsieur Rousseau on Gender and the Theatrical," Rousseau on Arts and Politics/Autour de la Lettre a D'Alembert, Melissa Butler, editor (Ottawa: Pensee Libre No. 6, 1997): 101-108
"(S)Mothering/Profess(or)ing," Feminist Teacher 9 (Summer 1996) 137-142.
"Wollstonecraft and Rousseau: The Gendered Fate of Political Theorists," Feminist Interpretations of Mary Wollstonecraft, Maria Falco, editot (Pennsylvania State University Press, 1996): 15-32.
Penny Weiss and Virginia Sapiro, "Wollstonecraft and Rousseau: Re-calling the Conversation," Feminist Interpretations of Mary Wollstonecraft, Maria Falco, editor (Pennsylvania State University Press, 1996): 179-207.
"Feminist Reflections on Community," Feminism and Community, Penny Weiss and Marilyn Friedman, editors (Temple University Press, 1995): 3-18.
"Feminism and Communitarianism: Comparing Critiques of Liberalism," Feminism and Community, Penny Weiss and Marilyn Friedman, editors (Temple University Press, 1995): 161-186.
Charles Elster, Patricia Linehan, Penny Weiss, and Carole Zangari, "Building (The) New Community (School)," Educational Forum 58 (Spring 1994): 290-298.
Penny Weiss and Heidi Gottfried, "A Compound Feminist Organization: Purdue University's Council on the Status of Women," Women and Politics 14 (1994): 23-44.
"Gender Bias in Political Theory," Indiana Journal of Political Science 8 (1991-1993): 13-32.
Penny Weiss and Anne Harper, "Rousseau's Political Defense of the Sex-roled Family, Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy 5 (Fall 1990): 90-109.
Discussed in "Research Notes," The Chronicle of Higher Education, January 9, 1991. Reprinted in Feminist Interpretations of Rousseau, Pennsylvania State University Press.
"Sex, Freedom and Equality in Rousseau's Emile," Polity XXII (Summer 1990): 603-625.
"Rousseau, Antifeminism, and Woman's Nature," Political Theory 15 (February 1987): 81-98.
BOOK REVIEWS
David Valentine, Imagining Transgender and Jude Brown, The Future of Gender, in Perspectives on Politics (2008): 170-172
Lori Jo Marso, Feminist Thinkers and the Demands of Femininity: The Lives and Work of Intellectual Women, American Philosophy Association Newsletter on Feminism and Philosophy (Fall 2008): 25-26
Gwendolyn Mink, Hostile Environment: The Political Betrayal of Sexually Harassed Women, Contemporary Sociology 31 (2002): 452-453.
Lori Jo Marso, (Un)Manly Citizens: Jean-Jacques Rousseau's and Germaine de Stael's Subversive Women, Journal of Politics.(2000): 1234-1235
Jennifer Ring, Modern Political Theory and Contemporary Feminism: A DialecticalAnalysis, Journal of Politics (February 1993): 268-270
Jean Starobinski, Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Transparency and Obstruction," Ethics 99 (July 1989): 977.
Robert Nagel, Participation, Ethics (January 1989): 441
Joel Schwartz, The Sexual Politics of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The Review of Politics 47(April 1985): 300-303.
PRESENTATIONS
Penny Weiss & Wynne Moskop, "(K)No(WING) Confidence: On Suspicion, Dialogue,and Self-Reflection in (Campus) Movements for Change." Southeast Women's Studies Association, Greensboro, North Carolina, April 2013.
Discussant, "Undergraduate Research on Gender & Politics." Gender and Politics Conference, Saint Louis, MO, April 2013.
"A History of Feminist Reflections on Childhood," National Women's Studies. Association Conference, Oakland, CA, November 9, 2012.
"Historical Feminist Reflections on Childhood," Second Global Conference on Childhood, Oxford, England, July 2012.
"The Everyday Silencing of Children and the Feminist Politics of Voice," First Global Conference on Childhood, Oxford, England, July 2010.
Penny Weiss and Beth Hedrick, "'Women's Studies' vs. ‘Women's and Gender Studies'," National Women's Studies Association Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, November 14, 2009.
"A Feminist Gardener's Reflections on Radical Politics," Florida Consortium for Women's and Gender Studies Conference, Tampa, Florida, October 3, 2009.
"Hate Speech: Testing the Limits of the First Amendment." Saint Louis University Constitution Day Panel, September 17, 2009.
"Declaring Sexual Equality: Documents from Around the Globe," American Political Science Association Conference, Toronto, September 6, 2009.
Discussant, "Selling Sex, Selling Selves? Gender, the Sex Trade, and the State,"American Political Science Association Conference, Toronto, September 5, 2009.
Discussant, "Gender and Sexuality in Comparative Perspective," American Political Science Association Conference, Toronto, September 4, 2009.
"Susan B. Anthony: A Model of Activism," Fellowship of Southern Illinois Laity Conference, July 18, 2009 (reprinted in Stones Cry Out).
"Getting to the Roots: Radical Feminism and Gardening," Society for Women in Philosophy Conference, "Feminism at the Crossroads," Cleveland, Ohio, March 28,2009.
"Political Lessons from Seneca Falls, 1848," presented at "Political Women 1300-1800" conference, Umea, Sweden, November 2008.
"What, to a Woman, is Constitution Day?" Fontbonne University, Saint Louis MO,October 2008.
"The Politics of Childhood: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Emma Goldman," North American Association for Social Philosophy Conference, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, July 2007.
"Revolution: The Declaration of Sentiments," Midwest Political Science Association Conference, April 2007.
"The Politics of Revolution: The Declaration of Sentiments at Seneca Falls, 1848," NorthAmerican Association for Social Philosophy Conference, Victoria, British Columbia, August 3, 2006.
"The Politics of Childhood," WBAA broadcast, April 2006.
"Christine de Pizan and the History of Feminist Theory," NEH Workshop, "Nation, Family and State: The Political Writings of Women," Purdue University, May 20, 2005.
"The Politics of Ignorance: Christine de Pizan," Purdue University Political Science Department Political Theory and Policy Workshop, April 5, 2005.
"Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: The Logic of its Structure and Argument," Remnant Trust Lecture, Purdue University, February 1, 2005.
"Democracy in Daily Life," Indiana University at Kokomo, September 15, 2004.
"The Politics of Ignorance and the Ignorance of Political Theory: Christine de Pizan," Pennsylvania State University conference on Epistemology of Ignorance, April 2004.
"Virginia Sapiro's Contribution to Political Theory," Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago IL, April 2003.
Discussant, "Emma Goldman's Political Theory," American Political Science Association, San Francisco CA, August 2001.
Discussant, "Mary Wollstonecraft: New Perspectives," American Political Science Association, Washington D.C., September 2000.
"Feminist Reflections on Equality," American Political Science Association, Washington D.C., August, 1998.
"Teaching Feminism: College vs. Grade School," Society for Women in Philosophy, St. Louis, MO, 1998.
"Democratic Theory in Educational Practice," James Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship Summer Institute, Purdue University, June 1997.
"Political Science: Too Divided or Not Divided Enough?" Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, IL, April 1997.
"Democratic Theory and Practice in Education," James F. Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship Summer Institute, Purdue University, June 17, 1996.
"Sexual Harassment in an Electronic Age," Purdue University, March 21, 1996.
"Is Graduate School the Same Experience for Women and Men?" Graduate Council,Purdue University, February 15, 1996.
Discussant, "Rousseau's Subversion," Southern Political Science Association, Tampa, Florida, November 2, 1995.
"Political Philosophy," James F. Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship Summer Institute, Purdue University, June 13, 1995.
"Letter to Monsieur Rousseau on Gender and the Theatrical," North American Association for the Study of Rousseau, Wabash College, June 2, 1995.
"Wollstonecraft and Rousseau: (A)live Conversation," Vindicating Wollstonecraft: An Interdisciplinary Conference on Mary Wollstonecraft, UCLA Center for the Study of Women, May 6, 1995, with Virginia Sapiro.
"A Conversation between Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Mary Wollstonecraft," Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago, April 8, 1995, with Virginia Sapiro.
"Parents and Children Talk about Feminism," Fourth Purdue Women's Studies Symposium, April 1, 1995.
Roundtable participant, "(Re)Visions of our History: Seeking Women's Studies at Purdue, Fourth Purdue Women's Studies Symposium, March 31, 1995.
"The History of Women Jurors," Wabash Area Lifetime Learning Association, March 29, 1995.
"Misconceptions about Feminism," Bethel Seminary Peace Studies Program, Richmond IN, October 26, 1994.
"Wollstonecraft and Rousseau: Re-calling the Conversation," American Political Science Association, New York City, September 4, 1994, with Virginia Sapiro.
"'Community' in the History of Feminist Theory," American Philosophy Association, Kansas City, MO, April 1994.
"(S)Mothering/Profess(or)ing: Gaps, Bridges, Overlaps," Purdue University Women's Studies Symposium, November 1993.
"The Gendered Fate of Political Theorists: Comparing Wollstonecraft and Rousseau," DePauw University Wollstonecraft Bicentennial Celebration, February 1993.
Roundtable participant, "The Bicentennial of Mary Wollstonecraft's A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, American Political Science Association, Chicago, September 5, 1992.
"A Mary Wollstonecraft Quiz: How What We (Don't) Know Hurts Us," Indiana Political Science Association, Bloomington IN, April 24, 1992.
"Feminism and Collaborative Research: ‘Acknowledgments' in Feminist Books," Symposium of Collaborative Scholarship: Debunking the Myth of the Solitary Scholar, Purdue University, October 25, 1991.
Panelist, "Sexual Harassment and the Thomas Nomination," Purdue University, October 14, 1991.
"Feminist Reflections on Community," American Political Science Association, Washington, D.C., August 30, 1991.
Keynote Speaker: "Male Bias in Political Theory," Indiana Political Science Association, Muncie IN, April 26, 1991.
"Feminism and Collaborative Research: ‘Acknowledgments' in Feminist Books," Symposium of Collaborative Scholarship: Debunking the Myth of the Solitary Scholar," Purdue University, October 25, 1991.
Panelist, "Sexual Harassment and the Thomas Nomination," Purdue University, October 14, 1991.
"Feminist Reflections in Community," American Political Science Association, Washington D.C., August 30, 1991.
"'I'm not a feminist, but . . . ‘: Popular Myths about Feminism," Ball State University, Muncie IN, April 26, 1991. (Also presented at Unitarian Universalist Church, Lafayette IN, November 3, 1991)
"Popular Myths about Feminism," Women's Studies Symposium, Purdue University, April 11, 1991.
"Feminist Theory and Feminist Organizations," YWCA Women in Crisis Program workshop, Lafayette IN, March 12, 1991.
"'I'm not a feminist, but . . . ‘: Myths and Realities of Feminism," Convocation Address,Manchester College, North Manchester IN, February 4, 1991.
"Feminism and Communitarianism: Exploring the Relationship," American Political Science Association, San Francisco, CA. September 1, 1990.
Discussant, "Feminist Perspectives on Political Theory," American Political Science Association, San Francisco, CA, September 1, 1990.
"Leading the Way Against Violence Against Women," Mortarboard Conference on Women as Leaders, Purdue University, January 27, 1990.
"Women's Rights," Purdue Civil Liberties Union, April 24, 1989.
"Toward Theories of Anti-feminism," Midwest Political Science Association, Chicago IL, April 14, 1989.
"Why the Climate Gets Hot in the Women's Studies Classroom," Purdue Women's Studies Program, September 22, 1988.
Legal Anti-feminisms: Judicial Rationales for Differential Treatment of the Sexes," American Political Science Association, Washington, D.C., September 2, 1988.
Discussant, "Sex and Politics in Rousseau's Thought," American Political Science Association, September 4, 1987.
"The 1986 Elections: A Feminist Appraisal," South Carolina Young Democrats, Aiken, SC, February 21, 1987.
"A New Reading of Rousseau's Emile, South Carolina Political Science Association, Columbia, SC, April 12, 1986.
"Edwin Meese and Civil Rights," University of South Carolina at Aiken Young Democrats, Aiken, SC, February 28, 1986.
"What's a Feminist?" Women's Studies Program, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, La Crosse, WI, March 1985.
Honors and Awards
Weiss' Ph.D. Dissertation was nominated for the American Political Science Association's Strauss Prize for best dissertation in political theory.