The talk of women friends

The talk of women friends has, for a variety of reasons, received little serious attention. We review (1) the sources of prejudice against this topic, (2) the dimensions of social context that shape women's friendships, and (3) the major differences between male friendships and female friendships. On the basis of prior research and an interview study, we propose that talk is central to close friendships between women. Our interview data reveal a broad range of conversational topics among women friends. The women we interviewed report that talk with their close friends creates a mosaic of noncritical listening, mutual support, enhancement of self-worth, relationship exclusiveness, and personal growth and self-discovery. We conclude by addressing issues pertaining to research methodology, to cross-cultural and sub-cultural differences, and to the politics of female friendship.     

‘They shared a laboratory together’: Feminist collaboration in the academy

Virginia Woolf's comment that ‘Chloe liked Olivia. They shared a laboratory together’ suggests both the dimensions of female friendship not represented in literary tradition and also a model of female scholary cooperation. ‘Feminist Collaboration in the Academy’ looks at the ways in which feminists can relate to and combat the academy's prevalent image of the isolated and usually male scholar. Describing their experience of working together on an anthology of feminist essays, the authors discuss the theoretical implications and problems of feminist collaboration in the academy.     

LEGAL ISSUES IN EVALUATION RESEARCH*

Using a 1978 evaluation of a defensible space project which was published in the Social Science Quarterly, and later challenged by the originator of the project being evaluated this article explores the legal issues and considerations for those reporting evaluations and the journals which publish the evaluation reports. Serow outlines the information gathered in interviews with several practicing attorneys, a university press, two law school professors, a political science professor, an attorney in a University Legal Counsel's office and from a review of relevant legal references. She concludes the article with five recommendations for evaluators reporting their research.