Word: robertson
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Titled "Representing 'Miss Lizzie': Class andGender in the Borden Case," Robertson's thesisexplored the cultural assumptions behind theLizzie Borden case, an 1892 true-life thriller setin Fall River, Mass., which became a mediasensation. When Borden was accused of murderingher father and stepmother--with an axe--she becamethe subject of endless speculation, most of which,Robertson notes, has hinged on the question of herguilt...
...Most of the debate concerning Lizzie Bordenrevolves around the question, 'Did the actuallycommit the murders?' I personally think she wasguilty, but the point is not 'did she do it ornot,' but that at that time it was culturallyunacceptable to assume she did," says Robertson,who adds that Borden's elevated social positionmay have influenced perceptions of her guilt...
...issue of women's role in society wascentral to Robertson's philosophies even beforeshe came to Harvard and chose her concentration.She did take a women's studies course in highschool, but she says she didn't have "theopportunity to experiment [with these issues] asmuch as she would have like to until she came toHarvard...
...Women's Studies wants you to beinterdisciplinary. You are expected to beconversant in feminist theory and how it relatesto your own field," explains Robertson...
...Women's Studies looks at how gender as acategory is constructed and how it is always underconstruction. You don't want to take man asnormative," Robertson says. "For example, thehistorian Joan Kelly asks, "Did women haverenaissance?' Women's Studies does not just fillin gaps but in a sense gives a fuller and moredynamic approach...