Women in Mathematics: The Addition of Difference (Race, Gender, and Science)

330 Pages·1997·1.38 MB·English

by  Claudia Henrion

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Page i
WOMEN IN MATHEMATICS

title : Women in Mathematics : The Addition of Difference Race,
Gender, and Science
author : Henrion, Claudia.
publisher : Indiana University Press
isbn10 | asin : 0253211190
print isbn13 : 9780253211194
ebook isbn13 : 9780585000770
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cover
language : English
subject Women in mathematics--United States, Women
mathematicians--United States--Interviews.
publication date : 1997
lcc : QA27.5.H46 1997eb
ddc : 305.43/51
subject : Women in mathematics--United States, Women
mathematicians--United States--Interviews.
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RACE, GENDER, AND SCIENCE
Anne Fausto-Sterling, General Editor
Feminism and Science
Nancy Tuana, Editor
The "Racial" Economy of Science: Toward a Democratic Future
Sandra Harding, Editor
The Less Noble Sex: Scientific, Religious, and Philosophical
Conceptions of Woman 's Nature
Nancy Tuana
Love, Power and Knowledge: Towards a Feminist
Transformation of the Sciences
Hilary Rose
Women 's HealthMissing from U.S. Medicine
Sue V. Rosser
Deviant Bodies: Critical Perspectives on Difference in
Science and Popular Culture
Jennifer Terry and Jacqueline Urla, Editors
Im/partial Science: Gender Ideology in Molecular Biology
Bonnie B. Spanier
Reinventing Biology: Respect for Life and the
Creation of Knowledge
Lynda Birke and Ruth Hubbard, Editors

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Page iii
Women in Mathematics
The Addition of Difference
Claudia Henrion
INDIANA UNIVERSITY PRESS
Bloomington and Indianapolis

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Page iv
© 1997 BY CLAUDIA HENRION
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this book may be reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical, including photocopying and
recording, or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without permission in writing
from the publisher. The Association of American
University Presses' Resolution on Permissions
constitutes the only exception to this prohibition.

The paper used in this publication meets the
minimum requirements of American National
Standard for Information SciencesPermanence
of Paper for Printed Library Materials,
ANSI Z39.48-1984.

Manufactured in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication
Data
Henrion, Claudia, date.
Women in mathematics: the addition of
difference /
Claudia Henrion.
p. cm. (Race, gender, and science)
Includes bibliographical references (p.) and index.
ISBN 0-253-33279-6 (cl: alk. paper).
ISBN 0-253-21119-0 (pa: alk. paper)
1. Women in mathematicsUnited States.
2. Women mathematiciansUnited StatesInterviews.
I. Title. II. Series.
QA27.5.H46 1997
305.43'51dc21 97-2546

1 2 3 4 5 02 01 00 99 98 97

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Page v
This book is dedicated to
Dave, Jesse, and Manisha

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Page vii
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ix
WOMEN xi
INTERVIEWED
INTRODUCTION xvii
1. Rugged Individualism and the Mathematical Marlboro 1
Man
1
Myth: Mathematicians work in complete
isolation
25
Profile: Karen
Uhlenbeck
49
Marian Pour-
El
2. What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like 66
This?
66
Myth: Women and mathematics don't
mix
85
Profile: Mary Ellen
Rudin
97
Fan
Chung
3. Is Mathematics a Young Man's 109
Game?
109
Myth: Mathematicians do their best work in their
youth
121
Profile: Joan Birman
4. Women and Gender 141
Politics
141
Myth: Mathematics and politics don't
mix
145
Profile: Lenore
Blum
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167
Judy
Roitman
5. Double Jeopardy: Gender and 188
Race
188
Myth: Only white males do
mathematics
193
Profile: Vivienne Malone-
Mayes
213
Fern
Hunt
6. The Quest for Certain and Eternal 234
Knowledge
234
Myths: Mathematics is a realm of complete
objectivity
234
Mathematics is non-
human
Conclusion 263
NOTES 267
RELEVANT 287
LITERATURE
INDEX 291

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Page ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First and foremost I would like to thank the women I interviewed for this book. Without their generosity, their
willingness to spend days talking with me, and their openness, this book would not have been possible. My hope is that
their stories will help dispel the myth that women can't do mathematics, and simultaneously stimulate dialogue that will
make mathematics even more inclusive of women.
I would also like to thank those who provided funding for the early phase of the research: the American Association of
University Women, the U.S. Department of Education, the Women's Educational Equity Act, and Middlebury College. I
am grateful to my colleagues both inside and outside the mathematics department at Middlebury College and Dartmouth
College for their supportin particular Mike Olinick, who wholeheartedly supported this path even though it was an
unusual one for a mathematician to be following.
For many mathematicians, myself included, writing is like a second language. I tend to think in terms of visual or
symbolic abstractions; hence the actual writing of this book seemed like an ominous task. An old faithful trick that
helped me get over the initial hump was to write the manuscript as a series of letters to a childhood friend who is now a
philosopher, Alisa Carse. I am eternally grateful for her patience as I sent hundreds of pages of letters to hermy initial
attempt to make sense of the thousands of pages of interview transcripts. The book has gone through dozens of
revisions, and has been completely recast at least five times. Throughout, Alisa has never faltered in her encouragement.
In the last two incarnations of the manuscript, she gave deep and probing feedback that was critical to the final
revisions. She also served as a continual reminder that the ideas in this book were of interest to many people (and
disciplines) outside mathematics.
A second invaluable reader was Lisa Baker. Our paths intersected at Dartmouth College through our mutual interest in
gender and science. A multitalented individual who has since gone into psychology, Lisa read three completely different
versions of the manuscript and had many insights early on that were to prove to be prescient. In particular, it was Lisa
who first advocated for the integration of the biographies with general themes of the book. Lisa gave copious comments
on style, content, and form, all of which made the book what it is today. Her encouragement, optimism, and skillful
feedback sustained me through the long dry spells of relative isolation.

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Page x
There have been many other people who read all or part of the manuscript to whom I am deeply indebted: Anita Solow,
Naomi Oreskes, Priscilla Bremser, Annelise Orleck, Alexis Jetter, Ann Bumpus, Susan Brison, Linda Mulley, Viki
Kiman. At one critical point when I felt at an impasse, I met with a writer, Jay Stevens, whose path had crossed mine in
fortuitous ways. It was he who first asked, "But what is your story behind this story?" And I belligerently resisted: "This
is not about my story." Nonetheless, his question was a harbinger of things to come. When I sent the manuscript out to
publishers and agents, a literary agent in New York City, Sydelle Kremer, generously spent hours talking with me about
the final form the book should take. The questions she asked helped frame the final version, organized around myths of
mathematics. She, too, encouraged me to include more of my own story.
In addition, I would like to thank the many scholars and writers whose work formed the foundation that made this book
possible. I have included a list of relevant literature at the end of the book, but I would like to mention, in particular, the
groundbreaking and thought-provoking work of Evelyn Fox Keller and Sandra Harding. Though their work was often
seen as quite controversial in mathematics, it was critical for me in beginning to examine underlying assumptions of the
discipline. I am also grateful to Joan Catapano and Jane Lyle at Indiana University Press for their editorial advice and
assistance, as well as Anne Fausto-Sterling, who encouraged this project even in its earliest stages, and whose own work
was particularly inspiring.
There are many people who played an important role in my life while this book was in process. Their influence, while
less obvious, is no less significant. In particular, I would like to thank Ochazania for her many teachings on "the
addition of difference," and Viki Kiman for initiating my journey into martial arts. Thanks also to my son, Jesse, who,
each evening as I put him to bed, would say, "Tell me about your book, Mama," and to my daughter, Manisha, who is a
living reminder that anything is possible.
Finally, the person who deserves more thanks than I can ever begin to offer in this lifetime is my husband, Dave
Chapman. With infinite humor, patience, and love, he provided support and encouragement through all phases of the
project. Despite my weeks away from home, endless nights working late, and emotional ups and downs, his motto was
"Whatever you need to do, do it. We'll make it work."

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