ThinkHer

I first heard about the University of Al-Qarawiyyin in a podcast about Morocco. They described Al-Qarawiyyin, founded in 859 CE in the heart of Fez, as the oldest continually operating higher education institution in the world, recognized by UNESCO and the Guinness World Records. I was quite surprised to hear about this university, but even more astonishing was to learn about Fatima Al-Fihri, a woman of remarkable vision who used her inheritance to create a center of learning that would attract scholars for over a millennium. Her story left me in awe - a woman breaking societal norms over 1,200 years ago to establish such a legacy that still remains an extraordinary achievement.  I found myself eager to know more about Fatima Al-Fihri’s life, her motivations, and the enduring impact of her dedication to education. Al-Qarawiyyin and Fatima Al-Fihri, illustrative representations However, that was not an easy Google search, as details about her remain scarce and elusive. Much of what...

When we reflect on a person's legacy, although we try to focus on their achievements—their impact, contributions, and the struggles they endured—we inevitably recognize the more human and nonlinear aspects of a person’s life. Each of us is a complex mosaic of contradictions, shaped by the values of our time and reevaluated through the shifting lens of history. Iravati Karve, regarded as India’s first female sociologist and anthropologist, embodies such intricacies. Her life and work stand at the crossroads of pioneering scholarship, progressive thought, and the lingering constraints of outdated ideologies from her time. Born in 1905 in Burma (present-day Myanmar), Iravati Karve was raised in a highly intellectual environment that shaped her worldview from an early age. Sent to India to be educated by the progressive Paranjpye family, she absorbed their emphasis on academic rigor, individualism, and social reform. Marrying into the Karve family—known for their contributions to educa...

" Although women are special, we are not a special population ", said Martha Gulati, a cardiologist specializing in women's heart health. When one reads this comment, its meaning and intention might not be immediately clear. One usually assumes that being considered as a 'special population' can only be beneficial because it ensures that specific issues that only women face are given adequate attention. I only recently realized that it can also have a downside. If women are viewed as a "special population" requiring separate focus or intervention, it can sometimes lead to neglect in broader or more universal programs that should apply to all people, regardless of gender. For example, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. The medical field did not fully acknowledge that women experience different symptoms of the disease compared to men until 1999. This is just one such case. Some studies show that women h...

Anyone with even a passing interest in philosophy or the history of science will recognize names like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. However, most of us encounter the name 'Aspasia of Miletus' much later, despite her being a contemporary of Socrates and potentially having a significant influence on him. One might wonder why her name is so often overlooked in the textbooks we read. This article attempts to explore that curiosity. Born in Miletus (birthplace of Pre-Socratic philosopher Thales) around 470 BCE, Aspasia likely arrived in Athens around 450 BCE, possibly fleeing political turmoil. As a foreigner, she lacked Athenian citizenship and the rights that came with it. However, her relationship with Pericles granted her access to the city’s elite circles. While their union was not legally recognized, Pericles’ devotion to Aspasia was evident—he separated from his Athenian wife to live with her, an unconventional choice that sparked public scrutiny. Their relationship allowed...

When we think of inventors, names like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, or Nikola Tesla often come to mind. But what about Maria Beasley, Anna Connelly, Margaret Wilcox, or Stephanie Kwolek? Why do we know so little about the women inventors? For centuries, women were systematically excluded from innovation and recognition.  Patents were out of the question when they couldn’t even own property or hold bank accounts . This erasure led to the creation of a male-dominated historical narrative, leaving the contributions of women largely unrecognized. Sybilla Righton Masters, for instance, circumvented legal restrictions by having her husband receive a 1715 patent for her corn-curing invention, a common reality for women inventors who had to rely on male relatives for recognition. Yet, despite these barriers, women have persisted, creating groundbreaking inventions that have shaped the modern world.  Interestingly, a significant proportion of famous inventions by women fa...