E. Susan Barber
Associate Professor of History
[profile]

I graduated from Notre Dame in 1984, after enrolling as a Continuing Education student. I was the first one in my family to go to college.

How she heard about Notre Dame: I was walking on a track with a friend who had just learned she was pregnant with her fifth child. The friend, who was pursuing her bachelor’s degree, said she would have to call the college she was attending and change her schedule for the next semester. I said, "Where do you go that you can just change your schedule like that?” The answer? College of Notre Dame.

Dr. Barber’s job at the time: Field coordinator for the Campfire Girls. At that time, never in my wildest dreams did I dream I would be here.

Choosing a major: I took 40 credits before I decided. A course with Charles Ritter, Ph.D., professor of history, led me to a double major in English and history. I loved being able to take documents and use them to write an interpretation.

Teaches classes in: Women’s history and women’s studies, such as Introduction to Women’s Studies; Women, Politics and the Law; Women and Work; Women, War and Peace; Women in American History; Harlots and Helpmates; Educating Women in the U.S.; Winning the Vote.

When she designs women’s studies courses: There’s so much material. You want to pack in as much as possible, and it’s so rich.

The students in her honors course: These students are really high-powered and they have lots of questions. For the class, I gave my students a list of articles available at the library—including some that were not required reading. I added some articles just in case they were interested. A student came to me on the fourth or fifth day of class and said, "I know it wasn’t required, but I read that article on women’s communities and I wondered if we could discuss it." I’m thinking, "Thank goodness I’ve read it!"

In women’s history courses: We use gender as a lens to understand the past.

On the American Revolution: The American Revolution is often seen as a transformative event. Then you ask, "What did women get out of the American Revolution? Did they get the right to vote? No, they didn’t. Was it a revolution for them?"

I use a document in a women’s history class that says, “All children born of a slave woman will be slaves.” This is a complete inversion of patriarchy, where inheritance comes through the male line. That’s where you see that women’s history calls into question what you have already understood.

How do students respond? Most of them have never had a women’s history class before, and sometimes their faces are so full of shock and disbelief.

One of the posters on her door reads: “I love feminism more than ever.”

How her students view feminism: The students we are accepting now have grown up in a time where—in their experience—women have not been discriminated against. They haven’t moved into the economy to see the disparities. They haven’t had that feet-on-the-ground experience to realize we have some work to do.

Family: Robert, her husband of 46 years this fall, who also has a bachelor’s degree in human services from Notre Dame; two sons; a grandson and a granddaughter

On the Notre Dame community: We have a very unique community here. You come to the College, you have a roommate who’s Muslim or Chinese American. Students can be exposed to diversity here in a way that allows them to drink in the difference. But they may not see some of the difficulties.

On her job: I think it’s very important that you love what you do. If you love what you do, then half the battle is won. I never hate coming to work.

On Notre Dame students: We have phenomenal students.

Her current research: Dr. Ritter and I are working on a book on sexual justice during the American Civil War. We are researching whether there were instances of sexual violence against women. If so, what happened? Were any brought to trial? Some experts say, "It only happened to slave women." Well, that doesn’t mean it’s not important.

I believe in challenging students. You don’t want to throw the ball at their chest. You want to throw it a little above their heads so they have something to reach.