Oakland, CA - Madeleine Kahn, former associate professor at Mills College, has written a new book, “Why are We Reading Ovid’s Handbook on Rape?”: Teaching and Learning at a Women’s College.

Set against the backdrop of representations of women throughout classical Western literature, the book explores feminist issues and provides an intimate portrait of colorful students on their journey of self-discovery. The young women collaborate to determine the direction of their academic studies, while examining the value of a traditional education. Kahn also describes her life as a professor, looking at why people read, what subjects can be taught, and the impact of gender on teaching and learning.

The author of Narrative Transvestism: Rhetoric and Gender in the Eighteenth-Century English Novel (Cornell University Press 1991), Kahn taught 18th century English literature at Mills from 1989 to 2004. She earned her PhD from Stanford University and a BA cum laude from Swarthmore College.

“Why Are We Reading Ovid’s Handbook on Rape?”: Teaching and Learning at a Women’s College, was published by Paradigm Publishers(March, 2005) as part of the series, "Cultural Politics & the Promise of Democracy" edited by Henry A. Giroux.

Mills College is a nationally renowned, independent liberal arts college offering innovative degree programs for undergraduate women, and graduate degree and certificate programs for women and men. Consistently ranked among the top 75 liberal arts colleges in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Mills is also recognized as one of the country’s 20 most diverse colleges. The Princeton Review selected Mills as one of 11 colleges for first-time inclusion in its Best 361 Colleges - 2005. Nestled in the foothills of Oakland, California on 135 lush acres, Mills provides a dynamic liberal arts education fostering women’s leadership, social responsibility, and creativity.

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