Foreword

Women In French Studies Foreword This second volume of WIF Studies is somewhat different from the first because of two important developments. First, we have become a refereed journal with an editorial board. Consequently papers presented during WIF sessions are no longer automatically published. We are also members of the Council of Editors of Learned Journals; this allows us to benefit from their services. A second development is the institution of a WOMEN IN FRENCH GRADUATE STUDENT ESSAY PRIZE. We sent a call for papers to all French graduate programs in the United States and Canada. Twenty papers were submitted, out of which we selected the best one for publication. This year, the prize was given to Laurie Lavine, a graduate student at Rutgers University for her essay "The Feminizing of the Trojan Horse: Marie Chauvet's Amour as War Machine." Most of the papers are by WIF members and several have been presented at the WIF sponsored sessions of the meeting of the MLA at Toronto in 1993. The article "Représentations de la femme dans la famille et au travail" by Kathryn A. Murphy-Judy is dedicated to the memory of her friend and colleague, Dr. Chantai F. Cornuéjols, whose sudden death, last summer, deeply touched many of us. Chantai Cornuéjols did some extensive work with Kathryn Murphy-Judy on advertising as a method of examining cultural differences. Her article "Gender Roles in French Advertisements in the 1980's" (The French Review, 2 [Dec. 1992]) is un modèle du genre. Here I would also like to thank several people who have made the publication of this issue possible. First, Annabelle Rea, WIF chair, who singlehandedly published the first volume last year. It was a pioneering work; her experience helped us in developing the present collection. Secondly, my warmest thanks go to Adèle King, Marie-Pierre Le Hir and Mary Rice-DeFosse, the members of the new editorial board. Their dedication to their task surpassed the call of duty. They not only read all manuscripts and made comments, but they also served as "mentors" to the graduate students who submitted papers, sending them ample suggestions. It was a joy to work with them. Finally, I am grateful to Ursinus College for providing me with a student assistant, William Pieper, without whom this issue would not have come to Women In French Studies existence. I also want to thank William A. Akin, Dean of Ursinus College who, in a time of severe budget restrictions, was nevertheless able to find some extra funds to allow us to publish this volume. My appreciation also to Blanche Allen, in the College Communication Office, who guided me through the difficult task offinding the right printer. Last, but not least, my heartfelt thanks to my friend and colleague, Derk Visser, who has generously given me invaluable suggestions. Colette T. Hall Ursinus College ...