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Polly F. Radosh - 2007 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer
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Radosh Named 2007 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer

January 25, 2007

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MACOMB, IL -- Polly F. Radosh, Western Illinois University chair and professor of women's studies, will present the University's 2007 Distinguished Faculty Lecture, which will explore issues of race and gender as affected by oppression.

Radosh's lecture, "My Mothers Before Me: Gender in the Irish Diaspora," will be presented at
7 p.m. Thursday, March 29 in the College of Fine Arts and Communication Recital Hall, Simpkins Hall, on the Macomb campus and at 3 p.m. Monday, April 9 at the WIU-Quad Cities (Room 102), in Moline.

"I will discuss the impact of colonial oppression on gender and women's roles in Ireland," Radosh explained. "All will be framed within the context of the Irish Diaspora and American cultural assimilation of the Irish."

According to Radosh, the lecture will address the means by which colonial oppression spawned gendered social participation in Ireland that was significantly different from that of other European countries during the 19th century.

"Gendered attitudes about work and family dynamics ultimately fostered higher emigration among Irish women, which also shaped emerging occupations for women in the United States," she added. "Some comparisons between African American and Irish women will also be made during the lecture."

Radosh joined the Western sociology faculty as an assistant professor in 1984. She was promoted to associate professor in 1988, and to full professor in 1992. Radosh was named director of Western's women's studies program in 1995, and named chair of the newly-established department of women's studies in 2005. She also served as a lecturer in Fall 1990 for the WIU Semester Abroad in London (SAIL) Program at the University of London, American Institute for Foreign Study. Prior to joining Western's faculty she was an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota-Morris and also served as a lecturer and university fellow at Southern Illinois University.

During her tenure at Western, Radosh has taught numerous sociology and women's studies courses, including introduction to women's studies, criminology, gender roles, women and war, women and crime, sociology of women and Black women in the U.S. She was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi in 2005 and has received numerous awards, including The Provost's Award for Excellence in Multicultural Teaching (2005), College of Arts and Sciences Excellence in Multicultural Teaching (2005), College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Service (2002), Western Organization for Women Achievement Award (2001), National University Continuing Education Award-Creative Program (1995), College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Teaching Award (1990) and Faculty Excellence Awards (1988, 1992, 1994, 1995).

Radosh has received several grants, including funding for the "Women of Western Centennial Photographic Exhibit" that documented women's achievements and contributions during the first 100 years of WIU history. She is the co-author of two books and has published numerous articles in professional journals.

Radosh earned a doctorate degree and master's degree in sociology from Southern Illinois University (1983, 1978) and a bachelor's degree in sociology from the State University of NewYork at Geneseo (1976).

Western Illinois first presented an annual lecturer award in 1969 to honor an outstanding faculty member whose professional development in research or creative activity, teaching and service to the University represent the highest standards of the academic community. In 1998 the award was renamed the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer.

Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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