Mary Fonow

Mary Fonow

Emeritus Professor,
Emeritus College
Other ASU affiliations
Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict
  • [email protected]
  • Phone: 480-965-2351
  • ‌
  • Wilson Hall 114 TEMPE, AZ 85287-6403
  • Mail code: 6403
    Campus: Tempe
  • ‌
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Long Bio

Mary Margaret Fonow, professor of women and gender studies, was named founding director of the School of Social Transformation in 2008. Her research interests include transnational labor activism, women and work in the global economy, and feminist methodology. Professor Fonow has conducted comparative research on workplace change in U.S., Canada and Australia and has recently concluded a study of women's transnational labor activism in male dominated unions in the metal trades. She published, "Union Women:Forging Feminism in the United Steelworkers of America," a book about women steelworkers and their union activism. Her new work focuses on the reformulation of labor rights and women's rights as human rights. This work has resulted in the publication in 2011 of two books, "Making Feminist Politics: Transnational Alliances between Women and Labor" and "Making Globalization Work for Women:Social Rights and Trade Union Leadership." Professor Fonow provides national leadership for the research training of doctoral students in the field of women and gender studies and is a member of the UNESCO Women and Gender Research Network. She has served on the editorial boards of Gender & Society, NWSA Journal, Frontiers: A Journal of Women's Studies, and the Australian Journal of Sociology.

Education
  • M.A. Ohio State University-Columbus 1973
  • Ph.D. Ohio State University-Columbus 1977
  • B.A. Ohio State University-Columbus 1971

 

Research Interests

Transforamtional Leadership

Feminist Methodology

Labor Activism

Publications
  • Suzanne Franzway and Mary Margaret Fonow. Making Feminist Politics: Transnational Alliances beteen Women and Labor. (2011).
  • Debjani Chakravarty Judith A. Cook MAry MArgaret Fonow. Teaching, Techniques and Technologies of Feminist Methdology. Handbook of Feminist Research: Theroy and Practice (2011).
  • Suzanne Franzway Mary Margaret Fonow. Demanding Their Rights: LGBT Transnational Labor Activism. Making Globalization Work for Women: The Role of Social Rights and Trade Union Leadership (2011).
  • . . Review of: Gender and Work in Capitalist Economies (2010).
  • . . Review of: Gender, Labour, War and Empire:Essays on Modern Britian (2010).
  • . . Review of: Live Wire:Women and Brotherhood in the Electrical Industry (2010).
  • . . Review of: Sisters in the Brotherhoods: Working Women Organizing for Equality in New York City (2010).
  • Suzanne Franzway and Mary Margaret Fonow. Queer Labor, Feminism and the Transnational Labor Movement. S&F Online Web Journal (2009).
  • . . Review of: Identity in Education (2009).
  • Mary Margaret Fonow and Suzanne Franzway. Sites for Renewal: Women's Activism in Male-dominated Unions in Australia, Canada, and the U.S. Unions, Equity, and the Path to Union Renewal (2009).
  • . Knowledge that Matters. (2009).
  • Suzanne Franzway and Mary Margaret Fonow. Feminist Labor Activism with an Australian Twist. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society (2008).
  • Mary Margaret Fonow and Suzanne Franzway. Transnational Union Networks, Feminism and Labour Advocacy. Trade Union Responses to Globalization (2007).
  • Cook, Judih A,Fonow, Mary Margaret. A Passion for Knowledge:The Teaching of Feminist Methodology. Handbook of Feminist Research: Theory and Practice (2006).
  • Mary Margaret Fonow and Judith A. Cook. Feminist Methodology: New Applications in the Academy and Public Policy. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society (2005).
  • . . Review of: The Other Woman's Movement: Workplace Justice and Social Rights in Modern America (2005).
  • Fonow, Mary Margaret (Author) . Human Rights, Feminism and Transnational Labor Solidarity. Just Advocacy?: Transnational Feminism, Women's Human Rights, and the Politics of Representation (2005).
  • Fonow, Mary Margaret. Reading Women's Lives: CORE Database. (2004).
  • Fonow, Mary Margaret. Union Women: Forging Feminism in the United Steelworkers of America. (2003).
  • Valentine Moghadam Suzanne Franzway Mary Margaret Fonow. Making Globalization Work for Women: The Role of Social Rights and Trade Union Leadership. (2001).
  • Sally L Kitch Mary Margaret Fonow. Analyzing Women's Studies Dissertations, Methodolgies, Epistemologies and Field Formation. SIGNS: Journal of Women in Culture and Society (0).
  • . . Review of: Sex at the Margins: Migration, Labour Markets and the Rescue Industry (0).
Research Activity
  • Agadjanian,Victor*, Batalden,Stephen K, Fonow,Mary Margaret. Advancing Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Armenia. AMER COUNCIL ON EDUCATION(9/1/2012 - 6/30/2015).
  • Panchanathan,Sethuraman*, Panchanathan,Sethuraman*, Artiles,Alfredo, Baker,Dale Rose, Boradkar,Prasad, Candan,Kasim Selcuk, Fonow,Mary Margaret, Hedgpeth,Terri M, Hurlbut,James Benjamin, Klein,Jay Frederic, Li,Baoxin, Mcdaniel,Troy Lee, Miller,Clark Anson, Miller,Clark Anson, Nallure Balasubramanian,Vineet, Santello,Marco, Wetmore,Jameson Michael, Wilcox,M Jeanne, Wilcox,M Jeanne. IGERT: Person-centered Technologies and Practices for Individuals with Disabilities. NSF-EHR(8/15/2011 - 7/31/2016).
  • Fonow,Mary Margaret*. Women and Gender Studies Course Redesign. AZ BOARD OF REGENTS(7/15/2007 - 6/30/2009).
Courses
2025 Fall
Course Number Course Title
WST 591 Seminar
Presentations
  • Fonow, Mary. She Works Hard for the Money! Transnational Labor Rights and Union Feminism. Annual Meeting of the American Studies Association (Oct 2006).
  • Cook, Judith, Fonow, Mary. Feminist Observations on Public Policy Research. Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association (Aug 2006).
  • Fonow, Mary, Franzway, Suzane. Women's Socio-economic Rights and Union Leadership. UNESCO 2nd World Forum on Human Rights (Jul 2006).
  • Fonow, Mary. Global Union Networks, Feminism, and Transnational Labor Solidarity. Women and Globalization Conference, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico (Jul 2005).
  • Fonow, Mary. Feminist Methodology and the Training of Graduate Students and Young Policy Scholars. 1st Conference of Feminist Epistemologies, Methodologies, Metaphysics and Science Studies (Nov 2004).
  • Fonow, Mary, Franzway, Suzanne. Union Feminism and Transnational Labor Advocacy Networks. 99th Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association (Aug 2004).
  • Fonow, Mary. Women of Steel: Positioned to Make A Difference in American Politics. 3rd International Women's Conference of the United Steelworkers of America (May 2004).
  • Fonow, Mary. What We Refuse to Know about Shopping. The Ethics and Epistemology of Ignorance Conference (Mar 2004).
Service
  • Social Justice Routledge Book Series, Advisory Board (2008 - Present)
  • Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies, Editorial Board (2004 - Present)
  • Frontiers, Editorial Collective (2004 - 2009)
  • Journal of Sociology, Editorial Board (2005 - 2008)
  • Office of Gender Equity, UNESCO, Women's Studies Advisory Board (2005 - 2008)
  • Case Western Historical Society, Advisory Board for the LTV Steel Project (2004 - 2007)
  • Govenor's Commission on the Prevention of Violence against Women, comissioner (2006 - 2006)
  • ASU African and African American Studies, Interim Director (2005 - 2006)
  • Search Committee, Director of Creative Writing Program, Chair (2005 - 2006)
  • UCSB, promotion review (2005 - 2005)
  • Chair Search Committee, Chicana/o Studies, Chair (2004 - 2005)
  • NWSA Journal, Editorial Board (2000 - 2004)
  • American Sociological Association, Member (Present)
  • International Sociological Association, Member (Present)
  • National Women's Studies Association, Member (Present)
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