Women's Studies has emerged out of the women's movement. The notion of equality was and still is the primary impetus behind this new area of inquiry. The role of women in history and in society has not been adequately represented in traditional disciplines. Initial attempts in Women's Studies scholarship were aimed at recovering the role of women in traditional disciplines. Subsequently, Women's Studies scholarship focussed on distinctions at the root of the women's movement the distinction between gender and sexuality, and the distinction between power and oppression.
Oppression is the misuse of power to the detriment of others.
The study of difference has further produced an emphasis on the analysis of diversity, ethnicity and multiculturalism. Today, Women's Studies offers a unique perspective in the liberal arts. It explores the influence of gender in the study of all disciplines, making Women's Studies an interdisciplinary field of study.