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Message from the President of IFRWH

The terrible atrocities in the United States on 11 September 2000 underscored the necessity for international communication and dialogue. Associations such as the Federation, which exist to promote the exchange of ideas and research between countries, can play a small part in strengthening worldwide links and global tolerance of different views and perspectives.

There are over thirty countries with National Committees in the Federation. In addition, there are Corresponding Members from ten countries where there is as yet no National Committee. Our Conferences have also been truly international in composition and have encouraged women historians to think in comparative terms, a characteristic that is not that common within the discipline of History as a whole. A full list of the membership of the Federation is available on the Federation's website at www.historians.ie/women. As is clear from the names, there are countries from every continent represented in the Federation but the main concentration is in Europe, north America, Australia, India and some parts of south east Asia. There are still many countries in Africa, Asia and South America with no representation.

When the Federation first began women's history was not developed as a research subject in many parts of the world but this is no longer the case. In many of the countries not yet affiliated to the Federation, Centres for Women's Studies have been established in universities in recent years and more and more books have been published related to the history of women. The Federation needs, therefore, to widen its communication links and make contact with historians of women in countries with which we have, as yet, no association.

Forming a National Committee
The initial process in the formation of a National Committee is often quite simple. An individual researcher can become a Corresponding Member of the Federation and then, over time, invite other colleagues and researchers to form a National Committee. Ratification of National Committees takes place at the Conferences of the Federation. We would warmly encourage any individuals or groups who wish to consider joining the Federation to make contact with a member of the Board. Our Secretary, Dr Karen Hunt can provide details of the technical process involved in forming a National Committee (K.Hunt@mmu.ac.uk). Personal contacts are the most effective way of expanding the
international basis of the Federation. We would, therefore, urge members of National Committees with links in countries not yet represented in the Federation to help us identify individuals who might become Corresponding Members. Names can be sent to Karen, to me or to any member of the Board.

Belfast Conference August 2003: Women, Family, Private Life and Sexuality
We are making good progress with the Conference plans. We have received promises of funding from the Irish promises of funding from the Irish government and Queen's University Belfast and have sent out invitations to some keynote speakers. We plan to send out a call for papers soon with a submission date of summer 2002. This should give everyone time to prepare proposals and form panels. The call for papers will, we hope, be wide enough in scope to inspire paper and panel proposals from all periods of time from pre-history up to the end of the twentieth century and from countries from all over the world.

Mary O'Dowd