International Studies Compendium Project

Extract

Comment on this article   Success, like power, defies easy definition or measurement, even though most people would likely proclaim that they would know it when they saw it. Success in the world of international studies academics is clearly linked to widely acclaimed published research. For example, the President of the International Studies Association (ISA) – “the most respected and widely known scholarly association in this field” ( International Studies Association 2009 ) – must achieve “national and international recognition as a scholar,” among other criteria. ( Volgy 2009 ) Most international studies academicians would likely agree that any woman who reaches tenured, full professor status at a doctorate-granting institution of higher education or its equivalent in international studies-related organizations or agencies, has achieved success in the discipline. While recognizing these external markers of success as genuine, this essay argues for a broader, more inclusive, alternative model of success. The essay begins with an examination of how success has typically been measured in academia writ large, then narrows the focus to women in international studies where possible. This is not necessarily an easy task. As noted elsewhere in this compendium, determining who belongs to this community is complicated. Inherently interdisciplinary, international studies draws scholars ... log in or subscribe to read full text