Academic canons are, by definition, contrary to expansion. They identify, fix, and calcify knowledge about origins, figures, and ideas that characterize the boundaries of a particular field. Those calcifications are then perpetuated by curricula that follow conventional wisdom in lockstep. Thus, ideas perceived to be unconventional to a field—outside those boundaries—are marginalized until they are virtually invisible. The papers in this panel intervene in traditional historiographic processes in the field of media studies and chart a new trajectory for teaching the history of media studies, of mass communication, of media theory, and of journalism.

Our panel features the work and careers of several women who were either marginalized in—or excluded from—the traditional media studies canon because of their gender, race, political affiliation, or identity. Each woman represented a revolutionary idea, approach, category of media - public access to images, anti-racist cultural criticism and journalism, and holding Hollywood studios accountable for the products they produce. The contributions of these women underscore, not only the need to question the current canon, but also the need to question the goal of canonization itself. These women have the potential to decentralize and expand our knowledge about media studies history.

Collectively, this panel addresses the intersection of feminist historical recovery and teaching, especially in the undergraduate classroom. Diana Kamin explores the uses of the Picture Collection at NY Public Library, originally curated by Roman Javitz. Elena Hristova critically reflects on teaching in the undergraduate classroom with Fredi Washington’s columns in the People’s Voice as a way to provide a usable political past to students developing their practice as cultural critics. Aimee-Marie Dorsten surveys the research of Mae D. Huettig, Jeannette Sayre Smith, and Helen MacGill Hughes to provide an important feminist history to the development of the political economy of communication.

The panel provides an opportunity to revise, recover, and teach a richer history of media studies by highlighting women who were researchers, innovators, and progressive public intellectuals and critics. We aim to show that the relationship between these women and their ideas offer more robust teaching materials and methods than the current media studies historiography can provide. Mary Vavrus will provide a response to the papers presented.