Acknowledgements

This book would not have been possible without the support I received from everyone at Athabasca University Press. Alvin Finkel especially has been an exemplary editor; his smart and perceptive comments flew back almost immediately when I sent him emails, and he was always on the mark with his suggestions. Betsy Jameson also offered important encouragement and feedback, and all the staff at AU Press, including the director, Walter Hildebrandt, have been wonderful. I also want to thank the anonymous reviewers of the manuscript for their comments and input. At Trent, Meghan Buckham and Kirk Niergarth provided me with much-needed technical aid, organizing the manuscript and magically turning old articles on paper into modern computer files. As always, Bryan Palmer provided unconditional love and support; indeed, when I was reluctant to proceed with a retrospective collection of my own work, he encouraged me to do so.

My thinking about women’s history has been shaped by many factors over the past thirty years: I’ve been inspired by the writing of scholars whom I have never met and by friends and colleagues with whom I’ve shared new ideas over glasses of wine. I’ve also benefited tremendously from my interactions with undergraduate and graduate students, whose engagement with historical writing can be energizing, enlightening, and inspiring. Because of them, my job is far more than ‘work’; it is also a pleasure and a joy. This book is dedicated to them.

All royalties from this book will be donated to the Barbara Roberts Memorial Fund, which provides support for projects relating to workplace issues, unions, and radical social movements, to the pursuit of peace, social justice, and human rights, and to women’s studies education, all examined from a feminist perspective.