JANICE MONK, A DISTINGUISHED FEMINIST GEOGRAPHER, AND DEAREST FRIEND TO US ALL, WOMEN IN ACADEMIA (1937-2024)

Abstract

Janice Jones Monk was a distinguished feminist geographer known for her pioneering contributions to social and cultural geography, especially gender geography. Born on March 13, 1937, in Sydney, Australia, she later became a prominent figure in the academic community of the US and all over the world. Janice Monk was a Professor of Geography and a Research Professor at the Southwest Institute for Research on Women (SIROW) at the University of Arizona. Her work primarily focused on women’s and minority groups’ employment, education, health, and culture, particularly in the US and Mexico.
Throughout her career, Janice Monk authored over 100 scholarly articles and several influential books, including The Desert Is No Lady, which explored the untold histories of women pioneers in the US West. She was instrumental in the development of feminist geography, advocating for the recognition of women’s contributions within the male-dominated field of geography. Her efforts earned her numerous awards, such as the Lifetime Achievement Honors from the Association of American Geographers and the Taylor and Francis Award from the Royal Geographical Society.
Janice Monk also served as the President of the Association of American Geographers and was deeply involved in mentoring early-career faculty and promoting gender equality in higher education.
She passed away on July 12, 2024, leaving behind a legacy of impactful research and advocacy for women’s rights and gender equality in geography and beyond.