Founded in 1998 as an outgrowth of the Sixth Conference on Rural and Farm Women in Historical Perspective, the Rural Women’s Studies Association is an international association for the advancement and promotion of farm and rural women’s gender studies in historical perspective.
The Association aims to encourage research, to promote existing and forthcoming scholarship, and to establish and maintain links with contemporary farm and rural women’s organizations. The RWSA aims to encourage scholars and activists from different disciplinary and professional backgrounds, countries, and cultures to communicate about their research and all other activities that are supportive of the Association’s goals.
Triennial RWSA Conference
RWSA sponsors a triennial conference that brings together scholars and activists from around the world to share research and advocacy on rural women, genders, and sexualities. We welcome public historians and archivists, graduate students, and representatives of rural organizations and communities as conference participants and members, in addition to academic scholars from diverse fields, including sociology, anthropology, literature and languages, Indigenous Studies, and history.
The 15th Triennial RWSA Conference was held at Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA, in May 2024.
The 16th Triennial Rural Women’s Studies Association conference will be held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the Agricultural History Society. It will hosted by the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA, in June 2027.
RWSA Virtual Events
Between triennial conferences, RWSA publishes a blog and hosts a variety of virtual and regional events for our members. Join RWSA and follow us on social media to learn more!