How did second-wave feminism influence the creation of women’s studies departments?

Second-wave feminism was instrumental in the establishment of women’s studies departments at universities, a movement that began in 1970 with the creation of a program at San Diego State College (now San Diego State University).12

This development was part of a broader effort by second-wave activists to challenge traditional academic structures and curricula that had historically excluded or marginalized female perspectives. As feminists began to confront the nature of womanhood, gender roles, and the origins of women’s oppression, they pushed for institutional changes that would allow for the formal study of these topics.21

Beyond the classroom, this period of activism saw feminists staging sit-ins and marches to protest academic curricula that lacked female authors, reflecting a wider demand for the recognition of women's experiences in all areas of society, including politics, work, and the family. By creating these departments, second-wave feminists sought to institutionalize the critical examination of gender and power, ensuring that the theoretical discussions emerging from the movement could be sustained and expanded within higher education.3421